Her Lover, His Student
by Lover of Fantasy
Summary: Ezra Fitz is the new English teacher at Rosewood high school and he finds himself attracted to his very tempting student Aria Montgomery. Can he deny his attraction to her or will he give in to temptation.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

**Ezra POV**

Ezra laid in his bed naked. He turned his head and let his blue eyes roam over his naked girlfriend's body. She had been his girlfriend for three years. Her body was so beautiful, that he got hard from just looking at it. He felt his member throbbing. He needed to be inside of her again, letting her feel every inch of him as he thrusted into her wet hot core. He knew that she would love that, just as much as him.

He and Jamiee were always sexually good together. They always made sure to satisfy the other, always allowing each other to climax explosively. He loved Jamiee and she loved him, but she wanted to get married eventually and he didn't.

Ezra wanted to get married someday, but he felt that Jamiee wasn't the one. Don't ask him how he knew, because he just did. He didn't want to make a mistake. He wanted to get it right.

He and Jamiee had just graduated from Hollis College. He got his degree in teaching and she got hers in journalism. She was an editor at a top prestigious publishing company in New York City called Robards&Rowling.

Her breasts were round like oranges and she had big nipples. He loved sucking them. God he was hard as a rock. He ached with undying need. He reached over and traced a finger around one of her nipples and she moaned, but didn't open her eyes.

Ezra used that same finger to trace down her flat abdomen, feeling her shiver. Her breathing began to quicken, but she still didn't open her eyes.

He got to her thighs and she opened them, granting him access. He could smell her essence and he grew harder. He could feel the heat emanating from her. He looked into her beautiful face and saw her watching him.

Her long black hair fell over her shoulders and down her back. Her cornflower blue eyes were glazed over with lust. She licked her full cherry lips and it drove him insane. He wanted to kiss them and suck on them at the same time.

Ezra smirked at her and then turned his attention back between her thighs, staring at her core. He could see her wetness gathering. It took all his self control not to bend his head down and start licking her up. Instead, he inserted his finger and began to thrust in and out of her wetness.

She threw her head and little moans fell from her lips. Her hands gripped the sheets. He added another finger into her wetness and she nearly came undone. She screamed. He bent his dark burnet head and captured one of her harden nipples in his mouth. She got even wetter.

He sucked her nipple with wild intensity. His fingers thrusted inside of her, deeper and deeper they went. His lips and tongue toyed with her nipple, and then he moved to capture the other nipple.

Harder and harder he sucked on her nipple. Over and over she thrashed her head from side to side, moaning louder and louder. Faster and faster his fingers thrusted.

Ezra could feel her inside walls constricting around his fingers. He released her nipple and started to lick around her nipples and her breasts, all while still fingering her.

He crushed his mouth onto hers to capture her ear splitting screams as she came. Her body shook with orgasm after orgasm. He gave her one more hard kiss as he removed his fingers from her core. His fingers were coated with her juices.

Ezra made sure Jamiee was watching him as he took his fingers into his mouth. He groaned as her taste filled his mouth. He sucked his fingers until her wetness was all gone.

He glanced at his clock on his bed side table. It read 7:30 am. He had to get ready for work. He cursed. Damn his luck. He didn't have enough time to take her. He could still take her, but he wouldn't have enough time to satisfy them both. He was so hard, that he was about ready to explode. He needed some way to relieve himself. He couldn't concentrate on teaching, if he was like this.

Like she could read his mind, she gave him a little sly smile and then bent her head down towards his hard member. He held his breath as she took him into her mouth. As soon as her warm mouth closed around him, he almost jumped out of his skin. Her mouth felt so good.

She began to suck him, deeper and deeper she took him into her mouth. He groaned deep in his throat. His fingers ran through her hair, which felt like silk. The more she sucked, the more he thrusted into her mouth.

Ezra could feel himself getting ready to cum. His strangled cries could be heard throughout the room. Faster and faster she sucked him.

He could feel the pressure building inside of him. He was close to the edge, he could feel it. He cried out, and then he grunted as he came inside of her mouth. His body shook with spasms. After he finally still, he watched as she licked up his cum, smacking her lips all the while. He grinned down at her, which earn him an extra lick with the flick of her tongue.

Ezra grabbed her to him and kissed her long and deeply, before pulling back. Her naked body pressed up against his. He gazed into her eyes.

"I'm thinking we can finish this up tonight" Ezra said as he caught his breath.

"I wish we could, but I'm staying in my apartment in New York City tonight" Jamiee said. She traced one of her fingers around his male nipple, pinching it slightly. "I have a lot of manuscripts to read and plus I have to be into work early tomorrow morning".

"Tomorrow night then," Ezra suggested as he brought her fingers to his lips and kissed them tenderly.

"Tomorrow night is no good either. Ezra I'm sorry," Jamiee said apologetically. "I have to go to a banquet with some clients and my bosses are insisting that I go".

"The next night then," Ezra said. "We could go to a dinner and then a movie. I know how you love those two combinations".

"You know I would love that more than anything, but I can't" Jamiee said softly. She looked into his face, hoping that he'll understand. "I have so much to do and catch up on. I'm swamped to be honest".

Without saying a word, Ezra disentangled himself from her and got up angrily. He stared down at her. Her body beckoned him, but he ignored it. He was pissed.

"When will I see you again?" Ezra asked briskly. "Or do I need to schedule an appointment so you could fit me in?".

"Ezra, please don't be this way" Jamiee pleaded. "You know my job is very demanding".

"How do you want me to act Jamiee?" Ezra asked coldly. "If you want me to be understanding, then I can't. Not if we can't spend time together and don't pull that demanding crap with me. I'm asking you again, when will I see you again?".

He could see that she looked hesitant to say it.

"Next week," Jamiee said as her eyes held his.

"Are you serious?" Ezra asked with disbelief in his voice. "It's only Monday for god sake. I knew this long distant relationship was going to be an issue".

Jamiee looked like he had slapped her across the face. She got off the bed, and then she went to him, her arms wrapping around his neck. She gazed into his eyes.

"What are you saying?" Jamiee asked. Her eyes searched his. "Are you saying you want us to be over? Because I don't want that and I don't want us to leave off on bad terms".

"I don't know what I'm saying" Ezra said with frustration. "I just need to think. I got to get ready for work". And he removed her arms from around his neck and left her staring after him as he headed into his bathroom to take a quick shower.

He was nervous, real nervous. This was his first teaching job since graduating. He was teaching what he loved, English. He just hoped that he would be just as good as his professors. He was going to be the new English teacher at Rosewood high school.

Ezra had planned out his lesson plan for the whole week. He refused to be one of those mean and strict teachers or one of those teachers that constantly loaded their students with work.

He hoped that his students will be able to adjust to him, since it was the middle of the school year and not the beginning. He made sure to learn all their names, because he didn't want to make any mistakes.

Ezra got out the shower and dried himself off with a towel, he then ran the towel roughly through his wet hair, and then he threw the towel into his dirty hamper. He went to his sink and turned on the faucet, making sure the water got really hot, before he took out his shaving equipment and started to shave his face.

After he was done, he left out the bathroom and went back into his bedroom. Jamiee had put on one of his big T-shirts and was making the bed. She looked up at him, and then she smiled softly at him.

He smiled back at her ,and then he went to take her in his arms. She came willingly. She sighed as his arms wrapped around her waist. She lifted her head and pressed her soft lips against his, kissing him with such love that rocked his entire body. He deepened the kiss, before pulling back and looking down into her face.

"We'll figure something out" Ezra said as he brushed his nose against hers affectionately.

"I know we will" Jamiee said with confidence as her lips found his again. "I hate it when we fight".

"I hate it as well," Ezra said as he kissed her on the forehead.

Ezra dropped his arms from around her waist, before he headed over to his closet to put on his light blue button down shirt, then he pulled on his black, blue ,and green vest over his head.

"Are you nervous?" Jamiee asked as she watched him dress, her eyes not missing any part of his naked body. "I made your favorite, some hot chocolate. It's on the kitchen counter".

"Thanks," Ezra said as he walked over to his dresser to pull on his black slacks. They hung off his hips, but they still fitted him perfectly. "And yeah, I am".

"Well, don't be" Jamiee said reassuringly. "They're going to love you".

"What makes you say that?" Ezra asked with one eyebrow raised as he put on his black shoes and tied up the shoe laces.

"Because I love you," Jamiee said as she handed him his watch. "You're going to be a great teacher".

"We'll see," Ezra said smiling at her as he put on his watch. "I really hope so".

"I believe in you Ezra, and you should believe in yourself too," Jamiee said encouragingly. "And that's the only thing that should matter".

"Thanks, for your confidence in me" Ezra said. And he kissed her and she giggled.

"You're welcome," Jamiee said. "I can just imagine the teenage girls' in your classes drooling all over you, but who can blame them. You're hot Mr. Fitz".

"Now I get to experience what my male professors went through" Ezra said laughing.

He was doubtful, he didn't really think so. Of course he knew that he was good looking, but he was bookish and he was quirky. He was nowhere near the bad boy type that the girls' seem to be drawn to these days.

"Just don't go encouraging them" Jamiee said warningly, giving him a playful tap on the arm. "Because you're mine".

"Oh, I love your possessiveness" Ezra said. And he grinned at her.

"That's not all you love about me," Jamiee said sexily as she smiled seductively up at him and rubbed her body up against his.

"So true," Ezra said, his eyes filling with lust. "If I wasn't afraid of being late for work, then I'll show you what else I love about you".

"Too bad you got to go to work then," Jamiee said as her lips took his again.

"I really have to go," Ezra said as he broke off the kiss, before it could turn into something more. "Believe me I want to stay more than anything".

"Okay, go" Jamiee said with a pout, and then she gave him one last kiss.

"I'll call you tonight" Ezra promised.

"I'm looking forward to it" Jamiee said as she headed into the bathroom.

Ezra left out his bedroom, and then he headed to his office. It was filled with bookshelves, stack with loads of books and shelves stack with his favorite DVD's. He walked over to his desk and took all his print outs from the printer, and then he made sure his computer was shut off. He grabbed his black leather shoulder bag and put his papers in. Then he went over to his DVD collection to grab the movie Gone With The Wind, and then he put it into his bag. He couldn't leave his apartment without them. He slung the bag over his shoulder, and then he headed out the office and made his way to the kitchen.

He grabbed a mug from the cabinet, and then he poured his hot chocolate into it, filling it up to the rim. He took a long sip, and then he took another sip as he put two slices of bread into the toaster.

Ezra went to the refrigerator to grab the peanut butter and his pasta salad he was going to have for his lunch today. He put the salad into his bag, and then grabbed his toast from the toaster. He got a knife and spread peanut butter on both sides of his toast. He munched on his toast, and then he threw back the remainder of his hot chocolate.

He put the mug into the sink, before heading out the apartment door, promising to wash it when he got home from work. He locked his door, and then he headed to the building parking garage. He unlocked his trunk, and then put his shoulder bag in. He then went to the driver side and got in and headed towards school.

Ezra parked in the teacher's parking lot, and then he got out, locking his doors. He glanced at his watch, it was 8:20am. He was twenty minutes late. He shook his head. He didn't know he would be this late. He should have checked the time constantly, then if he knew he was going to be late, he would have called the office and told them to assign a substitute until he got there.

"Not, a good way to start your first teaching job" Ezra said to himself.

He got his shoulder bag from his trunk, then he slammed the top down ,and then he headed into the building to find his classroom. He stopped by the teacher's lounge to put his pasta salad into the refrigerator. He didn't have time to check in at the office or check his mailbox. He stood just outside of room 112. He placed his hand on the doorknob, took a deep breath, and then he turned the knob and opened the door, walking into his room for the first time.

As Ezra walked in, he headed to the blackboard without looking at his students. The whole room had gone quiet at his arrival. He could feel them staring holes into his back, murmuring in little whispers. He wondered what they were saying about him.

He wrote down his full name and the daily objectives for the day on the board, before turning around and putting his shoulder bag on his desk.

Ezra looked up and scanned the many different faces. He heard all the girls' intake of breath. His eyes moved from student to student. They stared back at him openly.

He did a double take, when his eyes landed upon a very attractive girl. His eyes ran over her slowly, like he was savoring her looks into his memory. She had long rich dark brunette hair like his, but a little lighter. It was gathered to the left side of her face. She had beautiful big brown eyes, and her lips were full and luscious. His brain urged him to finish his assessment of her, but he finally tore his eyes away from her. He didn't want to feel like a pervert by checking her out.

Ezra eyes met hers nervously. He hoped she didn't notice him staring. She smiled at him and he had a feeling she knew. Her eyes and her enticing smile held him captive, until he finally tore his eyes away from her a second time. He cleared his throat and focused.

"Good morning class," Ezra said smiling. "Excuse my lateness, I was running behind this morning and I assure you, it will not happen again. I'm Ezra Fitz and I'm going to be your new English teacher this year, so I'm hoping you guys will welcome me with open arms. I can tell by some of you guys faces, that you weren't expecting someone as young as me, but rest assure I am qualified. I'm going to go over the attendance now, so hopefully you guys are in the correct seats".

He picked up his seating chart from off of his desk, glancing down at it, and then he looked at his students. When he got to the attractive girl, he glanced down at his chart, then back at her. Her name was Aria Montgomery. What a beautiful name. He wanted to hear it spoken out loud and for some reason he wanted to hear her voice.

"Aria, is that correct?" Ezra asked. He waited for her to speak.

"Yes, that's right" Aria said as she nodded her head and smiled at him.

"Yeah, okay" Ezra said, swallowing hard and running a hand through his hair.

She had a sultry voice.

Ezra went around the classroom, passing out papers. Aria's eyes followed him. He explained to them, that the papers that he had just handed out were his grading scale. The rules and regulations in his class, and the topics they were going to cover for the whole year. When he got to Aria's desk, he handed her, her papers. His fingers brushing hers in a light caress. He felt her shiver and heard her sudden intake of breath. He looked into her face, his eyes collided with her beautiful brown ones.

He read the explicit need in her eyes, a need he dare not try to understand or return. Her need held him spellbound. Was she aware, of what she was inviting? By looking at him in such a way. Her scent was intoxicating. It played with his nose, teasing him. It was a flowery scent. He congratulated himself for keeping a strong poker face.

"Thanks," Aria said softly as she licked her lips, and then she bit her bottom lip.

Her eyes never left his.

"You're welcome," Ezra said huskily.

And then he left and made his way over to the next desk, trying to put it out of his mind.

Next Ezra told them to take out their notebooks and a pen or pencil, but not a red pen, because he graded in red. He told them since he didn't know them, that he wanted them to tell him in writing about themselves. He said what they didn't finish would be for their homework. Some students groaned and he chuckled softly, his smile reaching his eyes. He told them to get started as he set the timer.

He left the room to go to the library to check out a DVD player, and then he headed to the office. He signed in and checked his mailbox, before heading back to his class.

Ezra had everything set up as the timer went off. He went around the room, passing out questions for Gone With The Wind that he had typed up late last night. He made sure that his fingers didn't come into contact with Aria's again.

"This will be graded" Ezra announced to the entire class as he hit the play button, and then he sat on top of his desk, with his own pen and his own questions. "So, make sure you do it and I don't mind if you guys work together, but only in sets of two's".

He was so engrossed in the movie, that he didn't hear when the bell had rung to end first period or feel someone tapping him on his shoulder. He turned and came face to face with Aria. She was even more attractive up close and her brown eyes seem to engulf his entire being.

Ezra looked at her questioningly.

"The bell that ends first period just rung" Aria said.

He looked around the classroom. Everyone was up and gathering their things to leave to go to their second period class. He was very much aware of Aria's hand still on his shoulder, which was inappropriate on so many levels. He got up off his desk, towering over her.

"Right, thanks" Ezra said.

He told them to leave their questions on their desk and that they will finish them tomorrow.

"Bye Mr. Fitz," Aria said as she waved and headed out the classroom door.

"Bye Aria," Ezra said as he went around collecting papers.

Ezra got ready for his second and third period classes. They went by fast. He had a free fourth period, so he went to return the DVD player back to library, and then he headed to the teacher's lounge to grab his lunch. He brought himself a Pepsi from the drink machine, before heading back to his classroom to eat his lunch.

He was just finishing up his lunch, when there was a knock at his door. It opened and Aria peeked her head through, smiling at him, and then she came all the way in, but not before shutting the door quietly behind her. She walked up to his desk.

"I hope I didn't disturb you" Aria said apologetically. "I just wanted to drop my notebook off. I got it done during my third period class. She pulled the notebook from out of backpack,and then she gave it to him.

"No, of course not" Ezra said as he took it from her and put it into his shoulder bag."I was just finishing up".

"Something smells delicious" Aria said as she sniffed the air. "Let me guess, pasta salad".

"How did you know?" Ezra said.

He smiled up at her.

"I've cooked it for me and my brother many times before, so you sort of know the smell by heart" Aria said laughing.

"Very true," Ezra said laughing softly. "It's one of my favorite dishes I love to make".

"Oh yeah, mines too" Aria said as she leaned her hip against his desk, her eyes sparkling. "So, how do you like being here so far?".

"I actually love it so far," Ezra said as he took a sip of his Pepsi.

He loved the way her eyes sparkled.

"So, what college did you graduate from?" Aria asked curiously.

"From Hollis," Ezra said proudly.

He could tell she was curious about him. He could hear it in her voice.

"I want to go there when I graduate" Aria said, her voice filled with ambition. "My dad teaches there, so maybe you have met him before. His name is Byron Montgomery".

"I don't recall meeting him, but I have heard a lot of good things about him," Ezra said. "It's an awesome school. You're going to love it. What do you want to major in?".

"In English," Aria said excitedly. "It's my favorite subject and I want to be an English teacher, so I figured I'll do something I will love and enjoy".

"I'm guessing you love to write also" Ezra said knowingly.

"Yeah, I do. I can't believe you knew that about me," Aria said with admiration. "I write here and there, whenever I'm in the moment. I even wrote a couple of stories. Some are finish and others aren't. I might have them publish one day, but who knows. I basically write for me".

"I would love to read them for you, if you need an opinion" Ezra offered. "I write myself, but it's mostly poetry".

"I don't know I'm kind of shy about letting someone read my work" Aria said honestly. "So, writing is another thing we have in common. I would love to read one of your poems".

"It's a good thing I'm your teacher then," Ezra said, steering clear of the situation. "And I might just read one of my poems to the entire class".

"I'm looking forward to that," Aria said, her eyes showing their meaning. "I guess we're going to have a poetry club now".

"That's right," Ezra said, nodding his head. "The principal has already approached me".

"Well, put me down as your first official member" Aria said. "It would be good to try my hands at something new".

"All right," Ezra said as the bell rung to end school.

He got up and started to pack up his belongings, while Aria watched him intently. He felt her eyes run over every part of him.

"Well, I better go" Aria said. And then she headed towards the door. "I'll see you tomorrow Mr. Fitz".

"You too Aria, "Ezra said as he slung his shoulder bag over his shoulder and watched as she left.

Ezra shouldered his way through the crowded hallways. He made is way to the teacher's parking lot. He was unlocking his trunk and putting in his shoulder bag, when he happened to glance to his right.

Aria was leaned against her car talking to some guy. He didn't know how long he stood there watching them. It felt like minutes. It felt like hours. They hugged and then they kissed, before Aria got into her car and drove off.

He got into his own car. Of course she had a boyfriend, Ezra thought. A girl as attractive as her had a million guys lined up vying for her attention. He didn't know why he even cared or why it bothered him. She was his student and he was her teacher and he was older than her.

He started up his car and headed home with Aria on his mind. Her beautiful dark hair, her enticing smile, her full lips, her voice, and her big beautiful brown eyes lingered in his memory.

Ezra wasn't going to cross the line when it came to Aria. He knew better. No matter how attractive he found her to be, but he just didn't know how dead wrong he was.

**My first ever Aria&Ezra story with chapters, so I hope you guys love it and will continue to read:) Let me know what you thought of this by reviewing me, then I'll know if I need to continue with this story or not.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Aria POV**

Aria held her head under the shower head, as the hot steaming water flowed down her naked body. She moaned in ecstasy. The water felt so good against her skin. She threw her head back and the water ran down her face and down the front of her body.

Her nipples got hard and they started to tingle and ache with awareness. She moaned softly as the water droplets rolled off her breasts and cascaded down her flat smooth stomach. She ran her fingers through her wet tangled hair.

Aria couldn't stop her hands, as they came up to squeeze and caress her breasts. She was very proud of her C cup. She pinched and tugged her nipples, enjoying the sensation it brought her. She could feel how wet and swollen she got because of it. She needed to ease her urge. It called to her, begged her to just give in.

She was moaning as she started throbbing fiercely. The force overwhelmed her. She kept seeing his face, Mr. Fitz face. God he was so good looking. This wasn't her first time being attracted to an older man. She was drawn to them like magnets. It was something about them, they intrigued her. The pull had never been this great before. His blue eyes that stared her over yesterday in class, so very slowly. If any other guy would have looked her over so intensely like Mr. Fitz had done, then she would have been annoyed and she would have gave them a nasty look. Only her boyfriend was allowed to look at her in that way, but she didn't mind Mr. Fitz staring. In fact she welcomed it. She was used to being stared at, but with Mr. Fitz it was different, way different.

Aria couldn't hide her frown as he tore his eyes away from her. She had wanted him to look at every part of her, seeing into her very soul. Taking his fill, whatever he desired. He was her master and she was his slave. He could do whatever he wished with her, he only had to say the word and she was his for the taking.

She ran her hands all over her body as he kept invading her mind, haunting her to her very core. She imagined her hands were his hands, touching her the way she liked to be touched, and learning her body in every single way. She was gasping as her hands roamed over her stomach, then down to her thighs, and then behind to cup her ass. She rubbed and molded her ass. She whispered his name as she spread her thighs apart. She could smell her arousal. The scent was addicting to the senses. She was dripping with wetness. It coated the inside of her thighs, making her sticky.

His dark hair that was the same color as hers, but a shade darker. She wanted to run her fingers through it, to feel the softness of it. She parted her lips apart with her hands, as she remembered his gorgeous smiles. The way they reflected in his eyes. She dipped a finger inside herself, touching her hard swollen sensitive nub. Moans and groans fell from her lips. Her wetness soaked her whole finger.

Oh god the way he talked and the way he walked. Aria thought as she began to thrust her finger upwards inside of herself. Slowly at first. She was so slippery. She begun to chant his name over and over as she started to work her finger faster, driving into herself harder.

Cry after cry tore from her mouth as she added another finger inside her wetness to join the first. Her other hand grabbed her breast, squeezing it as she thrusted into herself over and over again. She started to pant his name as her breathing grew harsher.

Her fingers toyed with her erect nipple, then her hand moved to squeeze her other breast, playing with the harden nipple. Her fingers continued to thrust up inside of herself, pushing her to the limit. Two fingers just wasn't doing it for her, so she added a third finger. Working her core even more harder and faster. Her voice grew louder, but that didn't stop her. She was too far gone to stop or care, nothing else mattered, but reaching her climax.

"Oh god! Yes, Mr. Fitz!" Aria shouted as her fingers thrusted deeper and deeper inside of herself. "Make…me…cum…".

Aria felt her inner walls constricting around her fingers, with such fierceness. She was breathing heavily, her chest going up and down as her heart raced. Her hand grabbed her breast tighter, her fingers pinched and rolled her nipple, and then moved to do the other nipple. She took two of her fingers out of herself and just kept one in. She began to flick her finger against her nub, pressing against it harder. She wanted to feel even more pressure. She started to shake convulsively. She could feel it coming, she was on the verge of bursting into a million pieces.

She sped up her flicking and thrusting even more. Screams burst from her lips as one orgasm hit her, then another one, and then a third and fourth orgasm hit her. She felt like she was dying over and over again. She couldn't have asked for a better way to go.

Aria didn't stop her finger movement until the last of her orgasm had subsided. She withdrew her finger and leaned her body against the shower wall, catching her breath. She could hardly stand, she felt weak in the knees. She got her breathing under control, and then grabbed her fruity smelling soap and lathered up her hands and her bath cloth and washed her body.

She rinsed her body off thoroughly, and then opened the glass door to the shower and stepped out. She shivered as her feet hit the cold tiles. She grabbed a big terry cloth towel and wrapped it around her body. She slid her soaked feet into her bedroom slippers and then headed over to the sink. She used one hand to wipe the mirror. Clearing the fog, so that she could see out of it. She gazed into the mirror, looking at her reflection. She grinned. She looked refreshing. Her eyes shone. Who knew that masturbating could be so exhilarating? She had to do it more often. She was hooked.

Aria opened up her medicine cabinet and grabbed her toothbrush, the toothpaste, and the mouthwash to brush her teeth. When she was done she put everything back into her medicine cabinet. Her breath smelt minty and fresh. She then grabbed her blow dryer and brush and dried her hair. After she was done she got out her flat Iron and straighten her hair.

She put the front of her hair into a hump with hairpins securing it. She left the back hanging. She gave her hump a little pat, and then left the bathroom and headed into her bedroom. She walked over to her vanity and sat down to apply her make up.

Aria made up her eyes first. She brushed on grayish black eyeshadow on the top of her eyelid, and then brushed on some red eyeshadow underneath. She put on some black eyeliner, and then added mascara on her top lashes and her bottom lashes. She applied another layer on each for fullness and thickness. She wanted her brown eyes to pop out. She went back to add gold shimmer eyeshadow in her inner v. She coated her full lips with red lipstick, and then brushed on some clear gloss on top of it.

She gazed into the mirror at her handy work. Her eyes looked exotic and her lips looked eatable. She looked sexy as hell. Her appearance shouted irresistible and forbidden. She wanted Mr. Fitz to notice her again, so that's why she went all out this morning. There was only one man she wanted to appeal to and his name was Ezra Fitz. She wanted him and she made it her goal to get him, but first she had to make sure that he was attracted to her. She knew that he was going to try to resist her with all his power, but she was up for the challenge. She never wanted anything so badly, like she wanted him.

Aria didn't quite know what she wanted from Mr. Fitz. She just knew that she wanted to fuck him. That fact was very known. Her need was so strong. They had so much in common already. They both love to write. He had gone to Hollis and she wanted to go there after graduation. He was already an English teacher and she wanted to be one too. They both loved pasta salad. She wondered what else they had in common? She wanted to find out more about him and she wanted him to find out more about her.

She got up and let the towel that was wrapped around her body drop to the floor at her feet. She walked over to her bed, where her clothes were laid out. She put on her black bra, hooking it in the back. She wiggled into the matching black panties. She carefully pulled the red fitted shirt with the black belt around the waist over her head. She pulled up her black tights, and then pulled up her denim blue skirt. Then she sat down at the edge of her bed to pull up her red leg warmers.

Aria walked over to her closest. She shuffled through her many shoe boxes to find her black flats. She found them, then slipped them on, and then she headed back over to her vanity. She opened up her small jewelry box and put on her black and red handcuff earrings with the matching necklace and bracelet. She sprayed on her SJP NYC perfume.

Her red Chanel bag with black and green coloring and her book bag were sitting on top of her desk, so she went to go grab them. She shoved all her text books into her book bag. She didn't won't to forget a single one. She looked all around for her cell phone. She didn't see it anywhere. She was getting a little frustrated. Spencer was the last person she called and talk to last night. She told herself to calm down and take a deep breath and take the time to find it. She knew it had to be in her room somewhere.

She finally spotted it on her nightstand by her clock. She sighed with relief. She grabbed her cell phone on the way out her room. She didn't bother with checking her messages'. She headed downstairs. She dropped her things at the foot of the stairs, and then headed into the kitchen to grab some breakfast.

Her father Byron was sitting at the kitchen table reading the morning newspaper, while eating his breakfast and drinking his coffee. She looked around the kitchen. She didn't see her mother Ella or her little brother Mike anywhere in sight. Her father looked up and smiled at her when she entered. She smiled back. He folded up his newspaper, and then sat it aside.

"Morning princess," Bryon said smiling. He picked up his coffee mug and took a sip, and then he sat it back down. "Your mother made breakfast. I put your plate on top the stove".

Morning Byron," Aria said as she grabbed her plate off the stove top. She was having her favorite, Blueberry pancakes and scrambled eggs with cheese. She couldn't contain the smile that played across her lips. God she loved Ella. "Where's Ella and Mike?".

Aria walked over to join her father at the kitchen table. She poured syrup all over her delicious smelling pancakes. She licked her lips in anticipation. She then reached over to grab the pitcher of orange juice, and then poured some into her glass. She picked up her fork and then started to eat. She munched away happily, savoring the flavors as they hit her tongue.

"She dropped Mike off at school on her way to the gallery" Bryon said as he got up to refill his coffee mug, and then went back to sit down at the table. "He said something about having to be to school early to practice with his lacrosse team before first period. Apparently they have an away game on Friday. I'm going to see if I can get someone to cover all my classes at the University, so I can make it. I know how much it means to Mike for me to be there. By the way, do you have to work at the book rack this afternoon? If not I could really use your help in grading some term papers, unless you have plans with Wes".

"No, I don't have to work today" Aria said in between a mouth full of her morning breakfast. "I do however have to work tomorrow". She took a sip of her orange juice, then picked her fork back up, and then started to eat again. "Well, Wes didn't mention anything to me and I think he has swimming practice this afternoon. If we do have plans, then it would be for tonight. And of course I'll help you grade terms papers. You know I don't mind. I love helping you".

"Thanks so much sweetheart," Byron said with relief in his voice. "Your mother won't be too thrill if I had to stay over again tonight when I don't have any night classes tonight".

"You're welcome," Aria said with a smile. "You really didn't have to ask".

"So, how do you like your new English teacher?" Byron asked as he got up and headed over to the sink to wash his dirty plate along with hers.

Aria thought of a way to describe how much she liked Mr. Fitz without sounding too fascinated. The last thing she wanted to do was make Byron suspicious. She kept her voice as casual as she could and kept it short.

"His name is Ezra Fitz," Aria said as she poured herself another glass of orange juice. She took a sip, before sitting down the glass. "I like him, he seems okay. I look forward to seeing what he teaches us".

"That's good to hear," Byron said as he dried off the dishes. "He sounds very promising. The school is very lucky to have someone like him".

"He really does," Aria said as she nodded her head, agreeing with him. "Did you know that he graduated from Hollis?".

"That's very impressive," Byron said with wonderment. "I haven't even officially met him yet and I'm liking him. Our English department is one of our major achievements as well as our other departments. When did he graduate? I'm surprise out of his four years attending, I never had him for a single course".

"He just recently graduated" Aria said.

"I think I might know him now, if we're talking about the same Ezra Fitz that was valedictorian of his graduating class" Byron said. "And if I'm not mistaken he also graduated with honors".

"We could be, "Aria said a little unsurely. "I haven't gotten the chance to ask him any questions related to him going to Hollis. "He was very ambitious".

Aria said more to herself, than to Byron. She glanced over at the wall clock. It read 7:40am. She had to hurry up and get to school, if she wanted to have time to chitchat with the girls and have some private alone time with Wes. She pushed back her chair and got up. She walked over to the sink with her dirty glass. She washed her glass, and then gave it to Byron to put into the cupboard.

"Bye," Aria said as she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.

"Bye," Byron said as he gave her a half hug with one arm. " Have a great day at school and I'll see you at the university this afternoon. If I'm not in my classroom, then try my office".

Aria left out the kitchen. She grabbed her things at the foot of the stairs on her way out the house. She unlocked her car doors, and then put her stuff on the backseat. She got into the car and put her key into the ignition and started the car and then backed out the driveway. She headed towards school. She turned her radio on. Fresh Pair Of Eyes By Brooke Waggoner blasted from the speakers. She sung along. Her beautiful voice filled the car. She loved singing. She got her voice from Ella. She recall her younger childhood days singing together with Ella, before she went to bed. It was their nighttime routine. She smiled back at her memories.

She found a park and parked. She waved to some friends as she got out her car. She grabbed her things off the backseat. She spotted Emily, Hanna, and Spencer walking towards her. She slammed her car door shut and locked all her doors.

"Hey," Aria said to the group. They walked towards the school.

"You guys have any plans for tonight?" Hanna asked the group. "If not I was thinking we could all go to the skating rink. Luke is having family dinner with just the family tonight at some fancy restaurant".

"Me and Wes might have something planned" Aria said with uncertainty. She looked around the parking lot. She spotted his car. She knew that he was probably waiting for her by her locker. He had been doing that for the last year. "But yeah, If we aren't doing anything then I would love to go".

"I can't ,I'm sorry Hanna" Spencer said apologetically. "Ian and I are going to the Carmike to see the newest Harry potter movie, the Deathly Hallows part 1 with some friends".

"I want to go see that," Aria said enthusiastically. "I heard it's suppose to be the biggest movie and the best one yet. I love Harry and Ginny".

"Really?" Spencer asked with a voice that didn't agree. "I love Hermione and Ron. I think me and Hermione would make really good friends, but I think our competitiveness would keep a friendship from forming".

"I think so too," Emily said laughing. "You guys will probably kill each other, but back on topic I can't either Hanna. Jake and I are studying for our physical science test that's tomorrow and I have to pass or my mom will kill me for sure".

"I guess I'll get some studying in, if none of you guys are available tonight" Hanna said, not sounding too happy about that idea.

"There's nothing wrong with studying Hanna," Spencer said.

"Yeah , well studying isn't my thing it's yours," Hanna stated. "I prefer shopping and hanging out with friends, while enjoying myself immensely.

"See you guys at lunch," Aria said as she waved at them as they all went their separate ways.

She spotted Wes standing up against her locker like she predicated. His backpack swung over one shoulder. He smiled that beautiful smile of his as she headed towards him. She smiled back. His smile was contagious.

Aria let her eyes run over him. Wes was tall and he had an athletic built. His blond hair was a great contrast with his grayish blue eyes. His eyes were his best features. They made a stunning couple with her dark hair and his light hair. His smile grew broader as she got closer.

Wes was so easygoing, he was very thoughtful, he was genuine, he had a great sense of humor, and he was very competitive like Spencer and Emily. All the traits that drew her to him, along with his good looks. He was every girls' fantasy of the prefect guy.

When she looked at him now something had changed. Actually she changed and she knew that Mr. Fitz was the reason. She just met him yesterday. It was just unbelievable. She had read something like this happening in books and had watched it happen on TV and she always thought it was ludicrous, but now it didn't seem that way at all. How could someone be in a long-term relationship and find themselves attracted to someone new? Someone they hardly knew? Someone they just met?

"Hey beautiful," Wes said as he leaned his head down towards hers and crushed his lips against hers, kissing her with wild passion.

"Hey back," Aria whispered against his lips. Her lips moved against his in great need. "You literally take my breath way". Her hands dropped her belongings at her feet. She pressed her body up against his and wrapped her arms around his neck as her lips lingered on his.

"You take mines away too," Wes said against her mouth. His body pushed hers up against her locker. He wrapped his arms around her waist. He stoked her tongue with his with such sensitivity.

She moaned softly into his mouth. His tongue felt good against hers. He responded by deepening the kiss. She ran her fingers through his hair and he groaned from her soft touch. She felt every part of him and she loved it. His hardness pressing against her abdomen. She felt how thick he was. She knew if she was to look down, then she would be able to see the shape outline through his jeans. She shivered. She knew that he felt every part of her as well. His hand came up to brush the side of her breast lightly. Her breath hitched slightly. His mouth pressed against hers harder. Their kissing turned into something uncontrollable. The electricity could be felt in the air. Their mouths moved fiercely against each other.

"Good morning Ezra," A female teacher called.

"Morning Mrs. Web," Mr. Fitz called back somewhat distractedly.

Aria felt eyes on them. She knew without a doubt they belonged to Mr. Fitz. He had been watching her and Wes. She wondered for how long had he been watching them? Did he just happen to walk up on them? What did he think? Was he bothered? All those questions ran through her head. For one crazy notion she wanted him to be jealous, but she knew that was insane and totally unlikely to happen. She was just his student. She meant nothing to him.

She broke her lips away from Wes and pushed him away. Her eyes searched for Mr. Fitz and she found him. He had been headed inside his classroom, before he stopped and caught her with Wes engaging in a heated make out session without a care in the world. His blue eyes stared into her brown ones. She felt embarrassed. She never wanted Mr. Fitz to catch her in this predicament. His face was hooded, but she thought she saw something flash through his eyes. Could he truly be jealous? Happiness soared through her body for one instant. Before she could answer herself, he tore his eyes away from hers and headed into his room.

Aria was pulled out of her thoughts by the feel of Wes soft lips against hers, beckoning her to respond to him. She complied, and then she broke off their kiss again completely.

"You have swim practice after school right?" Aria asked in a breathless whisper. Her lips still tingling from his kisses.

"Yeah, coach wants us to get all the practice we can" Wes said as he stared down into her eyes. "We have a swim meet on Thursday. Can you make it?".

His hands going lower to grip her ass. She smiled slyly at him for his boldness.

"I can if I don't have to work that afternoon," Aria said as her fingers twirled his soft fine hair.

"Do you want to do something tonight?" Wes asked. His lips brushing hers once more.

"Sure, what did you have in mind?" Aria asked as her nose rubbed up against his.

"I was thinking we could go to the local dairy shack for burgers and fries" Wes said as his hands gripped her ass tighter as a persuasion.

"I'm loving the idea," Aria said smiling against his lips. "How can a girl refuse".

"Good, I'll see you tonight when I swing by your house" Wes said as his hands lost their grip on her ass.

He headed off to class, leaving her staring after him. She shook her head, and then put in her combination to her locker. She slammed the locker shut then headed off to English.

Aria felt Mr. Fitz eyes on her as she found her seat and sat down. She lifted her eyes to meet his. She couldn't read them, they looked so conflicted. It was like he wanted something from her. What she didn't know. Their eyes held each other for a long time, before he finally turned his back on her and wrote down the daily objectives on the board.

She couldn't stop her eyes from openly looking him over. She didn't care if he caught her, something's were worth risking. She loved that like Wes, he also towered over her. He had a slight built. She couldn't help but love how his button down shirt molded him perfectly. She could see the muscles working in his back.

How his slacks slightly hung off his hips. She chewed on her bottom lip as she continue to look him over. She loved how his dark hair shone against the light as he ran his fingers through it. The incredibly sexy smile that played across his lips as he turned back around to face the class.

He made her feel and want things that she never wanted until now. Like losing her virginity. She knew that her and Wes had discuss having sex, but she never wanted it to be with him. She knew that she acted and looked like she had experience, but she really didn't.

Mr. Fitz avoided her eyes and any actual physical contact with her for the rest of the class. It was like he didn't completely trust himself when it came to her. She decided she was going to use that to her advantage.

When the bell rung to end class, she decided to stay behind. She deliberately took her time to collect her things. Her eyes hungrily followed his movements around the classroom as he went around gathering papers. He didn't bother to look her way or make conversation, so she just quickly grabbed her things before she was late for her second period class. She thought she felt his eyes on her as she walked out the door, but she wasn't for sure.

Her next two classes flew by with Mr. Fitz occupying her mind. She tried to focus on her school work, but it was useless. When third period ended she headed to lunch. She spotted Spencer, Hanna, and Emily already sitting at their usual table. She headed for the lunch line to grab a chicken and pecan salad, a small strawberry yogurt, and a bottle of water.

She paid for it on her way out. She was walking to her table when she spotted Mr. Fitz sitting with a group of male teachers. They were laughing loudly and talking. Her eyes lingered on him as he turned his head to speak to the teacher on his right. His beautiful blue eyes caught her staring. The smile died on his lips.

Aria tore her eyes away from his and made her way to her table. She felt his eyes burning into her flesh every step of the way. She wanted to look back, but her friends were waiting.

The girls were having a deep conversation as she sat down and started to eat her food, her eyes glancing back towards Mr. Fitz. She couldn't keep her eyes off of him. She didn't even care if anyone noticed her. She felt his eyes glancing back towards her too. What were they doing? She didn't know, but it felt exciting.

"What are you guys talking about?" Aria asked as she tore her eyes away from Mr. Fitz once again.

"We were talking about Mr. English hottie, Mr. Fitz" Hanna said deliciously with a twinkle in her eye.

"Oh yeah, What about him?" Aria asked carelessly, trying to play it off.

"I was just telling the girls that Melissa is friends with Mr. Fitz's girlfriend Jamiee," Spencer explained. "Apparently they have been dating for three years.

"I didn't know he had a girlfriend" Emily said.

"I didn't know either" Aria said, loving how her voice sounded nonchalant.

"Of course he has a girlfriend" Hanna said. "I mean look at the guy".

"What else do you know about her?" Aria asked, trying not to sound too eager. She felt Mr. Fitz's eyes on them as if he could sense them talking about him.

"That they both attended Hollis together" Spencer said. "And that she's an editor at some prestigious publishing company in New York City".

"No wonder Melissa is friends with her," Hanna said rolling her eyes.

"Right," Spencer said rolling her eyes as well.

"So, she lives in New York City?" Aria said hopefully, but kept her face blank.

"Yeah when she's there, but with Mr. Fitz when she's here" Spencer answered.

This still didn't change anything, Aria thought to herself. She still intended to go after Mr. Fitz, because he was what she wanted. She just had to try even harder now.

"When will she be back?" Aria asked, still keeping her face expressionless.

"Some time next Monday," Spencer confirmed.

After lunch ended, she had to go to her fourth period class. She had yearbook staff. She knew she was going to be late if she stopped by Mr. Fitz class. She knew from yesterday that he had no fourth period class. Before she could fully decide, her feet made the choice for her. She stood at his classroom door with her hand raised to knock. When she heard his come in, she turned the knob and went in. He was writing the objectives for class tomorrow on the board.

He turned to face her, giving her a questioningly look. His face gave nothing away from her sudden appearance. She gave him her best smile, and then bit her bottom lip. He seem distracted by the action. Her breathing became shallow, she was breathless. He shook his head and then his eyes found hers again. His mouth was set in a frown. It was like he was angry with himself. Did she really cause a stirring within him? She had to find out, but it couldn't be in school. She had to get him alone outside of school.

"Did you need help with the homework assignment?" Mr. Fitz asked.

"No, I understand that perfectly" Aria said as she moved towards his desk. "I couldn't help but notice how you were watching me and my friends at lunch today".

"Was I that obvious?" Mr. Fitz asked. His face showing his embarrassment. "I just couldn't help but notice that you guys seem pretty close".

"Yeah, you kind of were" Aria said laughing. "And we are, we're like sisters. We had an interesting conversation".

"Oh, what about?" Mr. Fitz asked curiously as he went to sit down at his desk.

"Actually, it was about you" Aria said as she watched him closely.

"What about me?" Mr. Fitz asked as his eyes peered into hers intensely.

"Spencer said that your girlfriend Jamiee is friends with her sister Melissa," Aria stated. "I didn't even know that you had a girlfriend".

"I do," Mr. Fitz said nodding his head and watching her closely. "We met at Hollis, where we both attended".

"That's nice" Aria lied and then gave a fake smile. "Do you have a picture of her?".

Mr. Fitz smirked as if he knew what she really thought, before turning a small picture fame around on his desk so that she could see it.

Aria dreaded looking into the picture. She was expecting an average looking woman, she wasn't expecting the beautiful woman that smiled back at her. She couldn't help or stop the jealous look that played across her face. She knew that she was gorgeous, but why would Mr. Fitz look in her direction if he already had a beautiful girlfriend? What could she offer him that his girlfriend could? She just had to be more alluring. She already had forbidden on her side.

"She's beautiful," Aria said begrudgingly.

She didn't try to hide the way she felt.

"Thanks," Mr. Fitz said quietly as he uncomfortably shuffled some papers around on his desk.

"I heard that you were valedictorian of your class and that you also graduated with honors" Aria said changing the subject.

She didn't won't to talk about his girlfriend anymore or think about the way she looked.

"Yeah, I did. How did you know?" Mr. Fitz asked. His eyes lifted up to meet hers.

"My father mentioned it" Aria said as she trailed her fingers along his desk absentmindedly. "He asked about my new English teacher".

"I hope he heard good things about me," Mr. Fitz said playfully, wanting to hear her laugh or see her smile.

"Of course, I told him that you were okay and that I liked you" Aria said as her eyes finally met his again.

Boldly showing him how much she liked him. Wanting him to fully get her meaning. She could tell that he did by the way he stared back at her, his eyes glued to hers. She smiled seductively. He got up to diffuse the tension that suddenly filled the room. He was about to say something to her, but the bell rung to end fourth period.

"About this morning," Aria started to explain, but Mr. Fitz cut her off.

"No need to explain, I have already forgotten it" Mr. Fitz said waving her off.

"Good," Aria said with relief.

She was headed out the door, when he stopped her. She turned around to look at him.

"Was he your boyfriend?" Mr. Fitz asked. His eyes hooded from her.

"Yes, his name is Wes" Aria said as she continued to look at him.

Aria wanted to know what he was thinking. He didn't say anything, but just nodded his head like he was confirming something he already knew. She tore her eyes away from him and left through the door. Her mind filled with plans she had in store for him.

**Please review and tell me what you guys thought :) Ezra chapter is up next.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**Ezra POV**

Ezra was sitting down at his kitchen table grading papers. He was currently grading Aria's paper. She had a beautiful handwriting. She had been right when she told him that she understood the assignment just fine. She had been the only student in his first period class to get the true concept of the story. Her explanation was beyond amazing. She was very smart. He could tell that she thought carefully, before she wrote it down on paper.

He was stress and teaching wasn't the problem, Aria was. He was ashamed to admit that she affected him. He knew better, having some sort of attraction to her was wrong. He was suppose to be the teacher, the adult. He was suppose to be in charge, but it felt like she was calling the shots. He thought back to yesterday.

Seeing her and Wes together made him jealous. He still couldn't get their image out of his head. He knew it was ridiculous feeling this way. For one moment he imagined that he was Wes, and that it was his lips that Aria was kissing, his hands that she was feeling against her body, and his body pressing into hers. Her arms that were locked around his neck. Her breasts that was crushed against his chest.

He shook his head to clear it of its lustful thoughts. He shouldn't be thinking that way. The way her eyes had followed him yesterday in class and today in class. He knew that he couldn't completely avoid her, because she was in his class. He could however avoid being alone with her, and that's what he did today during his fourth period. Him and some other teachers got together in his room to go over their lesson plans and discuss their teaching methods. He just didn't trust himself when it came to Aria, which scared him.

Ezra still couldn't forget that seductive smile of hers when her eyes had said that she liked him more than just a teacher. He ran a hand down his face in frustration. He didn't know what to do. He took a swig of his beer, finishing it. He could either report her or have her transferred out of his class.

He didn't like either option. He got up to grab another beer out the refrigerator. He uncapped it and took a long sip. He peeked into the oven to check on his chicken and broccoli casserole. It smelt good. It was an old family recipe. He baked it on low, setting the timer. He went back to sit down at the table. His mind still filled with thoughts of Aria.

Ezra recalled the jealous look that crossed her face as she stared down into Jamiee's picture he had sitting on his desk. He smiled to himself softly. Her beautiful dark hair brushing his desk. He wanted to know what it felt like. He had a strong urge to run his fingers through it, but he knew he wouldn't act on it. She really had no need to be jealous. She was just as beautiful as Jamiee, even more so. She was so different than Jamiee. Jamiee brought out his serious side, but Aria made him feel adventures.

It would seem that she had more in common with him than Jamiee did. He wondered what else they had in common. He was afraid to find out, afraid of being drawn to her even more. He wanted to find out more about her. He knew it was crazy. He was willing to take the risk as long as he didn't cross the line.

He was pulled out his reverie by the oven timer going off. He got up and grabbed a dish cloth to take the casserole out the oven. He sat it down on top the stove. He decided to let it cool down before he grabbed a plate. He took another swig of his beer, and then grabbed a big bowl from the cupboard to make a salad. He went back to the refrigerator to get out the ingredients, and then got started on making the salad.

Ezra was putting the finish salad into the refrigerator, when his house phone rung. He went to the sink to wash his hands, and then he wiped them off on the dish cloth before answering the phone.

"Hello," Ezra said into the receiver. He threw the dish cloth across his shoulder.

"Ezra, it's me Jamiee" Jamiee said, her voice filled with pleasure. "How are you? And how was your third day of teaching?".

"I'm good," Ezra said with a smile in his voice, knowing that Jamiee could sense it. "How are you? I hope you're not working too hard and teaching is going good. I'm really love it, just like I knew I would".

"Well, that's good to hear" Jamiee said. "I'm really happy for you Ezra. Its been crazy around here lately. I have to read through all these manuscripts and make corrections and plus attend meetings, but I'm loving every second of it. You know me, I live to work. So, what are your students like? Any crushes yet? I'm dying to know".

"They're a great group of kids, I was very lucky" Ezra said."And no, no crushes yet"

He didn't know why he lied about Aria's crush on him to Jamiee. It wasn't like he was going to act on it. He had nothing to hide. He did nothing wrong, not yet anyway. He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. Maybe he did have something to hide? Maybe he liked Aria's advances? Maybe he wanted her as much as she wanted him? He gave his head a mental shake. He had to stop thinking like that.

"That's good to hear, makes your job a little bit easier" Jamiee said. "And good, I'm glad I don't have to compete with some teenage girl for your attention".

Ezra could hear the humor in her voice. She was joking, but he wanted to make it clear to her.

"Yeah, it does" Ezra said agreeing with her. "There's only you Jamie, I want you. No other woman or teenage girl for that matter can come between us".

He knew that wasn't entirely true. Aria could come between them, if he let her, but he wasn't going to.

"I know that Ezra, you don't have to convince me" Jamiee said softly, knowingly. "I know you're not the type of guy that strays. I trust you completely".

Ezra was lost for words for a moment. Sure she trusted him, but he didn't trust himself. Maybe she didn't really know him at all, because he was tempted, real tempted. Aria was on his mind countlessly. She was all he could think about, even dream about. His urge to stray was growing increasingly. Jamiee just didn't know how much, but because of his commitment, and his love for her, he wasn't going to cross the line with Aria. He couldn't. It was as simple as that.

"So, where are you at right now, at work?" Ezra asked, changing the subject.

"I'm at work" Jamiee said as she gave a little yawn. "I'm reading my last manuscript for the day, then I'm headed home to have a lonely dinner by myself".

"I wish I could be there with you" Ezra said wishfully.

"I wish you could be here too," Jamiee said longingly, her voice catching.

"Maybe you'll be back here earlier then you think," Ezra said hopefully, wanting her back for a different reason.

"Maybe," Jamiee said doubtfully. "So, what are you having for dinner tonight? One of my favorites I hope".

He could just picture the small smile gracing her lips.

"I believe so, I made my famous chicken and broccoli casserole" Ezra said with proud.

He laughed as she squealed in delight like a little child. It was cute.

"God, I wish I was there Ezra, I can actually taste it in my mouth now" Jamiee said thickly. "You know how much I love that casserole".

"I want you here too Jamiee, you don't know how bad I want you here" Ezra said agonizingly.

"I know you do, I want to be there more than anything," Jamiee said, her voice filled with agony too. "I'll try my best to be back there with you sooner".

Ezra loved hearing the promise in her voice. He couldn't wait to hold her in his arms again, to make love to her again. She was what he needed. He couldn't have Aria.

"I'm going to hold you to that promise" Ezra said with certainty.

"I'm counting on it" Jamiee said softly. "Look Ezra I have to go, they're closing the building".

"I'll call you tomorrow" Ezra said. "I love you"

"Okay, I love you too" Jamiee said and she hung up.

He put the phone back on the hook, and then he went back into the kitchen and grabbed a plate and fixed his food. When he was finished eating he washed his dirty dishes, and then he put the food away to have for leftovers. He decided to finish grading papers when he got back. He went into his office to grab his list and car keys off his desk, before heading into his bedroom to grab his coat. He left out his room and headed out the door towards his car. He drove towards the local book rack.

The parking lot was packed. It took him a couple of minutes to find a park. He finally found a park and got out, heading towards the store. As he got into the store, he pulled out his list from out his back pocket, and then he looked around. The store was buzzing with people. There were people on every single aisle searching for books, some people were sitting down eating at the tables in the cafe section, some people were lounging in chairs reading books, and some people were searching the web on the computer.

Ezra glanced down at his book list. He had about five books to find. He was building up his collection even more. He started to walk around in search of the books he had on his list. He shouldered his way through the crowded aisles, occasionally bumping into people. The place was big, but it had narrow walkways. He lost track of how many times the word excuse me left his lips.

He found the first three books on his list without any problem, but he had a difficult time finding the fourth and final book. The aisles being crowded didn't help either. He went back to revisit the last to aisles, when he ran into Aria. He wasn't prepared to see her so soon. He didn't know that she worked here. If he had known, then he never would have came. He was strongly thinking of turning back around. Just walking out the door and heading back home.

She didn't see him immediately. He observed her. He knew he shouldn't, but he couldn't stop his eyes from running over her. She was stocking books. Her long dark hair was in a ponytail, it swayed from side to side when she walked. A long single strand escaped and clung to her lips. She pushed it away annoyingly. He laughed to himself, wanting for an instant to be that strand of hair.

Her uniform shirt was snug around her breasts. He never knew them to be so round before. He wondered what they would feel like in the palm of his hands. Her erect nipples strained against her shirt. He groaned inwardly. He was so hard. He felt his member strain against his pants unwillingly. His nostrils flared as his eyes went even lower, fully knowing that he shouldn't.

Her skinny black jeans hugged her curves nicely. She was very voluptuous. Ezra got even harder still. He finally tore his eyes away from her body, feeling disgusted with himself. He silently willed his erection to go down. His eyes had never roamed over Aria's body before until now. She was just sixteen for god sakes. She was young enough to be his kid sister.

He suddenly wondered if she was a virgin, but then pushed it out his head. She probably wasn't. She was very mature for her age and if she was ,then any guy would be lucky to be her first. If only he was younger, then he would love to introduce her to the art of love making. To witness her first taste of true bliss. He would be whatever she needed him to be. He shook his head. Once again disgusted with himself.

Ezra was about to turn around and head a different way, but Aria happened to look up and saw him staring at her. Her entire face lit up with pleasure. She was so beautiful. She started to walk towards him, her eyes only on him. It felt so good to be the only guy that had her attention. A voice inside his head told him to just walk away, to just get away, but he was grounded in place. Her brown eyes compelled him.

"Mr. Fitz," Aria said smiling, her eyes running over his face. "What brings you here?".

"Hey Aria," Ezra said, returning her smile. "I'm just here to pick up some books on my list. I have a collection back home".

"Do you want any help?" Aria asked as she took the list out of his hand and looked it over. "I could help you. I'm not doing anything right now, but stocking books and I would love to see your book collection sometime".

He hesitated, He couldn't be alone with her right now, not after the thoughts he just had about her. Technically they weren't alone, but he still didn't trust himself. He could tell that she read the hesitation in his face. Before he could say anything she turned and walked off with his list in her hands, boldly telling him to follow her. He did with much reluctance.

"Don't worry Mr. Fitz, I won't bite you" Aria said teasingly over her shoulder. "I assure you, I'm harmless".

"Are you really Aria?" Ezra asked without thinking, wishing he could take back his words, but it was too late.

She stopped walking and turned around and looked at him. Her lips curving into a sexy smile. Her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"No," Aria said in a throaty whisper, before turning back around and walking on, leaving him speechless.

That one throaty sound sent chills up and down his spine. He was momentarily mesmerized by the sway of her hips. Was she really tying to toy with him? He had a feeling that she was and it scared him, she scared him. He ran a nervous hand through is hair. Why had he said that in the first place? He had no idea.

Aria came to a stop, taking a book from the shelf. She glanced at it, and then glanced down at the list in her hand, while biting her bottom lip. The action drawing his eyes. He noticed that she had a cute habit of biting her bottom lip or chewing on it. He had a strong urge to run his thumb across her bottom lip, but he refrain from doing do.

"Here you go, the fourth book on your list" Aria said as she handed him the book, their fingers brushing against each other.

It drew her eyes to his and his eyes to hers. The atmosphere was thick with sexual tension. They just stared at each other, unspoken words between them. Their eyes held each other intensely. For one moment she had stopped breathing. Her chest rising and falling rapidly. She stepped closer to him. He could smell the same flowery scent lingering on her body. It teased his senses. She didn't stop until her body was brushing up against his, very provocatively. He swallowed deeply. He tried hard not to think about how good she felt or how it made him feel.

Ezra saw her standing up on her tiptoes and leaning in towards his lips, her hands holding onto his shoulders for support. The voice in his head was back. It told him to stop her, to move away, that it was wrong on so many levels, that he was older than her, but he just ignored it. Wanting more than anything to feel her lips on his. He was completely lost by the sea of desire that swam in her eyes, they consumed him utterly. He was helpless than and there. Her warm breath fanned his face, causing him to groan out loud. Her head still tilting towards his lips. Her fingers gripped his shoulders, just before her lips captured his with sheer urgency. Her touch was electrifying. She moaned against his lips, crushing her body even closer to his.

He stood absolutely still and remained stiff as she kissed him. She finally pulled back and was about to lean in to kiss him again, but he turned his head and her lips grazed his cheek. He removed her hands from off his shoulders, and then he stepped back so that distance was between them. His lips tingled from her kiss. Her mouth had felt good on his, but he couldn't think about that right now. He looked around nervously, making sure no one had seen them. He breath a sigh of relief, they were in a secluded spot. He turned his eyes back on Aria. She was watching him closely, trying to read him to see if he was angry or if he liked it. To see if he liked her as much as she liked him.

"We can't do this Aria, I'm your teacher and I shouldn't have allowed you to kiss me, it was totally inappropriate" Ezra sad huskily.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking" Aria said softly, her eyes showing her embarrassment. She chewed on her bottom lip just before saying, "The last thing I want to do is get you in trouble, so it won't happen again… I promise".

"Let's hope it doesn't" Ezra said sternly, but he knew it was going to happen again. He could tell from the hidden look in her brown eyes, eyes that made the earth stand still. "I-I think I better go".

"Wait, don't you want the last book on your list?" Aria asked. "I know for sure that we don't have it in stock right now, but you can still fill out a form so that we can order it for you and we will call you when it's in".

"Maybe another time" Ezra suggested. "I think I just need to go, I have papers to finish grading before class starts tomorrow".

He was turning around to leave, when she reached out and touched him, stopping him in his tracks. He turned back around to face her, wanting to stay, but knowing it was best for him to leave before anything else could happen between them. Something that he would truly regret.

"It won't take you long to fill it out, all you have to do is head over to the customer service desk" Aria explained, her eyes holding his. It was like she didn't won't to let him go. "I won't even assist you, if your wondering".

"Yeah…okay, I'll just go there now" Ezra said, before turning around and heading towards the customer service desk.

Ezra felt Aria's eyes following him. He told himself to keep walking and don't turn around, but he couldn't help but glance back over his shoulder. His eyes met hers, they asked him to come back. He shook his head, breaking eye contact and continued walking. He filled out his form, and then he headed to the checkout section. He paid for his books, and then he left out the store, heading to his car. His mind straying back to Aria and what occurred between them, something that shouldn't have happened.

She was a danger to him. He seem to lose all of his common sense when it came to her. No matter how good her kiss and body had felt it was still wrong. He couldn't risk it happening again. He had to make a decision regarding her soon. He didn't won't to lose his job, but he didn't won't to get her in trouble either.

He unlocked his doors and got into his car. He threw his shopping bag on the backseat, and then started his car up and headed towards home. A thought lingering on his mind, that he wanted her to kiss him again. She had given him a taste and he wanted more. A question also lingered on his mind, would he kiss her back this time? And he knew without a doubt in his mind that he would.

**So what did you guys think?Did you like it? or Did you hate it? Let me know by reviewing me. I really love reading your comments. Up next Chapter 4 Aria's POV.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**Aria POV**

Aria sat to her vanity brushing through her hair. Her dark hair fell down her shoulders and back in soft waves. She couldn't believe that she had been impulsive enough to actually kiss Mr. Fitz. A very stupid move on her part. She had been caught up in the moment. The way he had been looking at her and the way she had been looking at him caused her impulsiveness. She had felt their mutual attraction then and there.

Her eyes closed at the memory of her lips on his. His lips had felt wonderful. She only wished that he had kissed her back. She knew that he wanted to. She remembered the way he had groaned out loud. She had no idea that she could affect him in such a way. That sound had caused her to become wet. She had so badly wanted to kiss him for a second time, but he had turned his head. She knew without a doubt that he had liked her kiss and had enjoyed the feel of her body.

He kept looking at her throughout class today, so secretly so that no one would notice. Everytime she would catch him, he would turn his head and pretend to be looking at something else, but she had seen him and he knew that she had. She had sense his nervousness when she had called him over to her desk to ask about a question she didn't understand. He had stuttered and had kept on clearing his throat, but had stopped as soon as she placed her hand on top of his to calm his nerves.

She smiled wickedly to herself. She knew that she was playing a dangerous game, but she didn't seem to care, not when she now knew that Mr. Fitz was attracted to her, like she was to him. She wanted him inside of her, penetrating her. She wanted to know what it felt like to be connected to him. She wanted to feel the weight of his body on top of hers, crushing her. She wanted to be underneath him. To have her arms wrapped around his neck and her legs wrapped around his waist as he thrusted into her, hitting her pleasure spot over and over again.

Aria shook her head. If she continued thinking about them naked in bed together, then she was going to start masturbating again. She had felt his eyes on her and Wes across the parking lot after school. Her lips had been locked with Wes and she had been kissing him feverishly. She had broken her mouth away from his and looked over to meet Mr. Fitz eyes. She read a combination of anger, longing, and hurt in them.

She was pulled out her thoughts by the beeping of her cell phone. She got up and found out that she had an unread text message from Wes. She smiled as she read what he had written. He said that she was the reason why they won the swim meet today, because she was his good luck charm. She had cheered him on right along with his teammates and his coach. She remembered him coming out the water dripping wet, water droplets rolling down his chest and beautiful abdomen. His eyes scanning the crowd looking for her, and then running when his eyes landed on her. He had wrapped her in his arms tight, not caring that he was getting her wet. His lips crashed down on hers, kissing her with such heat, while people laughed, cat whistled, and cheered. She had even heard camera flashes and knew that members from the yearbook committee had snapped them in their heated exchange.

Aria pulled her head out of the clouds and finish reading his text message. He said that his teammate Nate was throwing a party at his house tonight and he wanted her to come with him to celebrate their win. She replied back and told him that she couldn't because she already had plans and that she knew he would still have a good time without her.

She hit view now to see his reply. He said that he was going to have a miserable time without his beautiful girlfriend there by his side and that he had been looking forward to showing her off tonight. She replied back and told him to stop being dramatic and just enjoy himself and that she would see him tomorrow at school. She put her phone down and finish getting ready, not waiting for his reply.

Aria settled for a pair of skinny jeans, a black tight fitted shirt that shaped her breasts nicely, making them seem rounder. It read don't waste recycle in gold letters, and she put on her gold flats. She sat back down at her vanity table to apply light make up to her face, then she grabbed her big gold hoop earrings from her antique jewelry box, and then she pulled her hair into a tight ponytail at the back of her head, tying it with a gold ribbon.

She gazed at her reflection. She was going for a more natural and casual look. She didn't have anyone to impress tonight. Tonight was her date night with herself. She knew that it sounded silly, but it was a routine with her. She didn't care if it seem selfish that she wanted a night to herself, rather than spend it celebrating with Wes and his buddies. If she was truly honest with herself, she didn't won't to date him anymore. She knew that it sounded harsh, but she didn't care. She needed to have all her focus on Mr. Fitz and she didn't need any distractions and that was what Wes was, a distraction she didn't need or won't . If she wanted Mr. Fitz, then Wes was just a casualty she was willing to lose to gain what she really wanted.

Aria got up to walk over to her closet to get her black hoodie jacket. She wanted it in case she got cold in the theater. She was going to the local Carmike to see her favorite movie of all time, It Happened One Night. Tonight they were playing all classics and she made it her priority to be there. She was a sucker for classics. She lived and breathe them. Filmmakers didn't make movies like they used to. It was truly tragic. A knock at her door interrupted her thoughts. She yelled come in and Ella opened her door, peeking her head in. She smiled.

"Hey sweetie, Date night with yourself tonight?" Ella asked with a smile, her eyes running over her with love. "And I see that you are going with a casual look tonight".

"Yeah," Aria said as she put on her jacket. "I wanted to be comfortable tonight. They are playing all classics down at the theater tonight.

"Sounds like fun, What are you planning on seeing?" Ella asked as she came all the way into the room. "Hopefully one of your favorites".

"It Happened One Night" Aria answered as she grabbed her big black handbag, and then she stuffed her car keys, mini make up bag, and her cell phone and wallet into it.

"That's great, I know how much you love that one" Ella said. "Look me and Byron and Mike are ordering pizza for tonight, do you want anything special for when you get back?"

"Half Chicken and half Italian Sausage stuffed crust pizza with added onions and mushrooms would be good for me" Aria said as she added more sparkling sand lipstick on her lips. "Are you guys ordering hot wings too?"

"Mike wants them, so yeah we're ordering them" Ella said as she opened the door to leave. "Have a good time, but don't forget to drive safely".

"I will, and you know I always do Ella" Aria said smiling.

"Yeah, I know" Ella said with a smile as she left.

She made sure she had everything, before she headed downstairs. She shouted to Ella and Byron that she was gone. Then she headed out the front door and got into her car, heading towards the Carmike theater. Traffic was heavy, but she finally made it. She couldn't believe that traffic was so crazy on a Thursday night. The parking lot was so full that she had to park across the street. She got out, grabbing her handbag, then she locked her car doors, and then she headed towards the two ticket booths'. She dug into her handbag to get out her wallet, before she got into the first line.

As the long line preceded forward, she finally made it to the front of the ticket booth. She happen to look to her right and her eyes connected with his. His beautiful blue eyes that held shock. She couldn't hide her surprise, her lips smiling seductively in that sexy way that she knew made him weak to her. The night had just gotten a whole lot better. Who knew she would run into Mr. Fitz here? She knew it was suppose to be her date night with herself, but she didn't mind spending it with him. She was thrill that she had another chance to be alone with him, if he was seeing the same movie as her. Which she hope he was.

They both paid their money, and then headed inside, with him holding the door open for her. She purposely brushed her body up against his as she walked through the door. His body felt amazing pressed against hers. She had almost forgotten how good he felt. It made her panties wet and she started to ache with raw need. She heard him let out a nervous breath and she saw him swallowing with difficulty, trying to keep his composure. She smiled up at him innocently, her eyes shining with mischievous. She was playing games with him, messing with him and he knew it. His eyes held no humor, they were guarded. His lips were drawn together in a tight line.

"Thanks," Aria said as she moved more closer to him, their bodies almost touching again. She knew she was taking a risk, but she was all for taking them. "What classic movie are you going to see?"

"You're welcome, and I'm going to see It Happened One Night" Mr. Fitz said as he took a step back, giving them some distance. "It's one of my favorites. I love classic movies".

She could tell that he was scared to be in close proximity with her again, after what happened last night. She loved knowing that knowledge She was going to take full advantage of it. She smiled cryptically to herself.

"I'm seeing that too, how strange is that?" Aria asked with amazement, her eyes showing her elation. "It's a favorite of mines too and I also love classics. It is just something about them".

"Very strange coincidence "Mr. Fitz said, his eyes showing his wariness. "I shouldn't be surprise that this happens to be a favorite of yours and that you also love classics".

"This is something else we have in common," Aria said smiling as she lightly touched his arm. She felt him tense up immediately. "Are you getting anything before we head and see the movie? I know I would love a large popcorn and a large Sierra Mist".

"Yeah, I'm just getting a Pepsi" Mr. Fitz said as he led the way to one of the many concession stands crowding the place.

Mr. Fitz let her go in front of him as they got to the counter to place their orders. She couldn't stop her eyes from gazing over the many delicious chocolate bars and candy. She decided to order her a large popcorn without butter, a large Sierra Mist, and a box of cookie dough, and then she stepped aside so Mr. Fitz could make his order. She let her eyes run over him slowly, deliberately. He was truly a beautiful man. Her breath hitched in her throat. She could never get sick of staring at him. She wanted him more than ever. She laughed lightly as a flop of his dark hair fell into his eyes. It was cute. Her fingers itched to push the piece of hair back.

Her little laugh drew his eyes towards her and he smiled radiantly at her as he combed his fingers through his hair to brush the flop of hair out of his eyes. Even his smile was beautiful, they were always beautiful. It was like watching a ray of sunshine. She finally tore her eyes away from his mouth and she looked into his eyes. They weren't guarded anymore. She never notice this before, but the corners of his eyes crinkled up when he smiled. Her eyes held his in an intense battle. The way he was looking into her eyes caused her breasts to swell and them to tingle with awareness.

His eyes suddenly dropped and she followed them. They were staring hard at her breasts. Her nipples had gotten hard and they were poking through the front of her shirt. She didn't even try to shield them from his view. He was staring so fixedly. She blow out a rugged breath. She felt her palms growing sweaty. He seem to finally snap out of his trance and lifted his eyes back up to stare into her eyes. Their moment of mutual attraction was back in full force. He couldn't seem to look away from her, but just as she was about to close the gap between them, the cashier said something to him and he broke his eyes away from hers to give his attention to her. Their moment gone.

Aria sighed shakily, then she paid the cashier her money, and then she grabbed her things. Mr. Fitz paid his money and grabbed his drink. He looked over his ticket, trying to see which auditorium they were in. They were in auditorium 12, so they headed towards it.

"Do you want to sit together?" Aria asked as she took a sip of her drink.

"I don't think that would be such a good idea" Mr. Fitz said with honesty.

"Why not?" Aria asked, playing coy. She already knew why.

"You know why Aria, you kissing me can't happen again" Mr. Fitz warned.

"I won't kiss you again, even though I want to" Aria said bluntly, her eyes laughing at his facial expression. "But, I'm very patient. You're something I want Mr. Fitz and I'm wiling to wait for you. And the more you fight me, the more I want you".

He chose to ignore her words. His face looking determine to make it to their auditorium. She could tell that he didn't know whether to take her words seriously or not. She could feel the frustration emitting from him. His jaw was clenched. She just had to act impulsive again. She grew anger with herself. She didn't won't to push him away. That was the last thing she wanted. She wish she could take back her words, but it was too late now.

Aria followed him into the dark auditorium and up the little steps. She was so glad she didn't wear heels. He found a seat and sat down. She just stood there with hesitation. She didn't know whether if she should sit down beside him or go find another seat. She knew she looked like an idiot just standing there, her arms loaded with food, but she didn't want to irritate him more by just sitting next to him. She could feel people eyes on her and she fidgeted under their gaze. She was about to go up the steps again to find a seat, but he stopped her.

"Are you going to sit down?" Mr. Fitz asked, his eyes not on her, but on the movie screen.

The previews were showing.

"You were right, maybe I shouldn't sit with you" Aria said, her eyes on him, so badly wanting him to look at her. "I can give you distance, if that's what you want".

He tore his eyes away from the screen to finally look at her. It was too dark for her to read his eyes, but she knew they stared intently at her.

"I don't want you sitting by yourself," Mr. Fitz said as if that was reason enough.

"I don't mind sitting by myself, in fact I was planning on sitting by myself before I even knew you were going to be here" Aria argued, her eyes flaring.

She didn't know why she was taking her anger out on him, when she was obviously angry with herself.

"Just sit down Aria," Mr. Fitz said, not willing to argue with her.

When she just continued to stand there stubbornly, he shook his head, and then he grabbed her arm lightly, ignoring how she trembled from his touch.

"Aria, let's not do this, would you please just sit down?" Mr. Fitz asked quietly. "Let's just enjoy the movie".

Aria sat down as the movie began to play. She placed her drink into her seat cut holder, and then she started to munch on her popcorn, occasionally sipping her drink as she got lost in the movie. The tension between them dissolved as they laughed and enjoyed the movie. She offered him some of her popcorn, their hands constantly bumping into each other. Their whispered excuses me's. She had an urge to let her hand linger on his, but she thought better of it. She silently congratulated herself on not giving into her impulsiveness. Their shoulders brushing up against each other as they moved restlessly. Everytime he touched her, she felt a shock go through her body.

When the movie was about to end, She started to get cold. Her body started to shiver and her lips started to quiver uncontrollably. She could actually hear her teeth knocking against each other. She tried to bury herself deep into her hoodie, but she was unsuccessful. She was still freezing her ass off. Her fingers started to go numb.

"Do you want my jacket?" Mr. Fitz whispered against her ear, his breath teasing her.

She so badly wanted to cuddle up to him, because that was how cold she was.

"If you don't mind" Aria bit out, trying to control her chattering teeth. "I should have brought a bigger jacket".

"I'm glad I did then, here you go" Mr. Fitz said as he took off his jacket, and then he wrapped it around her.

His face was close to hers as he wrapped his jacket around her shoulders. He lingered. It was dark, but she could tell he was staring at her quivering lips. His head slowly leaned in towards them. For a second she stopped breathing, her body remaining still as his lips got closer and closer to hers. She could only hear the sound of her heartbeat. She could feel his sweet smelling breath fanning her lips. She couldn't believe it, was he really going to kiss her? She wanted him to, so badly hoping that he would. She wanted him to finally be the one that made the first move. He seemed to realize what he was doing and he pulled back. She was so glad it was dark. She didn't want him to see the disappoint written on her face.

"Better now?" Mr. Fitz asked, clearing his throat.

She felt movement, so she knew that he was shaking his head at his action just then. He was probably angry with himself for almost giving in to her. Not that she would have mind.

"Yeah, much better" Aria said in a breathless whisper, her mind still processing what just happened.

The movie ended and they exited the auditorium, throwing their trash away as they walked out the door. They left out the Carmike, and then they both headed across the street to their cars.

"I actually have the movie at home in my collection, but it is just something about seeing it on the big screen" Mr. Fitz announced, smiling over at her.

His smile caused her heart to flutter. Wes smile had never done that. She felt the tiny butterflies in her stomach. What was he doing to her? He affected her strongly than she ever knew. Could she be falling for him, aside from wanting him? She pushed that question aside. It was just too ludicrous to even consider. All she wanted was sex. Plain and simple.

"I know what you mean, I also have the movie" Aria said laughing, pulling his jacket more tightly around her.

She breathe in his smell and she shuddered inwardly. His natural scent was mesmerizing.

"I really enjoyed myself, especially not having to see the movie alone" Mr. Fitz said as he moved closer to her, his eyes avoiding hers.

"Me too," Aria said, catching his eyes. "It was actually my date night with myself, but I didn't mind spending it with you".

"You have date nights' with yourself?" Mr. Fitz asked with a bewildered look.

"Yeah, it's a routine of mine" Aria said with a smile. "I know it's silly, but I love just having quality time to myself".

"It isn't silly at all, it's understandable" Mr. Fitz said rationally. "And there's your car right there".

Aria wasn't too thrill to see her car come into view. She couldn't hide her displeasure. She didn't want their conversation to end. She could tell that he was relieved to see her car. She knew it was because he didn't trust himself when it came to her. She vividly recalled what almost happened in the theater. She smiled inside. She couldn't wait to feel his lips again.

"I'll see you tomorrow in school Mr. Fitz" Aria said as she unlocked her car doors, then she took off his jacket, and then she gave it back to him. "Thanks for letting me borrow this".

"You're welcome, you needed it more than me" Mr. Fitz said as took the jacket and put it on. He turned around and was about to head to his own car. "And yeah, I'll see you tomorrow morning. Be prepared to learn some more".

"I will, afterall I have the greatest teacher" Aria said, smiling seductively, her eyes filled with laughter as his eyes lingered on her smile, before he left to get into his car two rows down.

She got into her car, her mind filled with tonight's events. She threw her handbag on the passenger seat, before turning her key and starting her car, but her car wouldn't start. She tried it over and over again, but it still wouldn't start. She blow out an exasperated breath and drummed her fingers on the steering wheel, before she tried starting it again, but still nothing. She was taking out her cell phone, when she heard a light tap at her window. She looked up and smiled with relief when she saw Mr. Fitz staring down at her. She opened her car door.

"You want a lift home?" Mr. Fitz asked. "I'm afraid I'm no good with fixing cars".

"Sure, if that won't be an inconvenience for you" Aria said as she got out the car with her hand bag in her hand. "And I'm not good with cars either".

"No, it won't" Mr. Fitz said as he got into his car. "Was you car having any troubles today? Or is this the first time it's happening?

"Are you sure, because I could call Wes or Byron and Ella?" Aria asked as she got into the car, fastening her seatbelt. "And no, which is weird. My car was perfectly fine this morning".

She gave him the directions to her house.

"I'm sure, who is Ella? I know Byron is your dad, but why do you call him Byron?" Mr. Fitz asked with curiosity as he pulled out into the night traffic.

"Ella is my mom" Aria answered, her eyes on the road. "They told us to and I know it's weird, but they're cool".

"Us, meaning you have another sibling?" Mr. Fitz asked, his eyes concentrated on the road and the steady moving traffic.

"Yeah, I have a younger brother" Aria said, happy to tell him. She could tell that he wanted to know more about her. "His name is Mike".

"Are you guys close?" Mr. Fitz asked. "And I hope you don't feel like you're under an interrogation with the many questions I'm asking you".

"No, not at all" Aria said with laughter. "And to answer your question, yes we are".

"Does he go to Rosewood high school too?" Mr. Fitz asked as he switched lanes.

"Yep, he's on the school lacrosse team" Aria said, turning in her seat to look at him.

"I bet he's good. You know I played a little lacrosse at my old high school too" Mr. Fitz said, glancing over at her.

"He's pretty awesome, and he just might be the best on the team" Aria boasted, her lips curving into a teasing smile. "You did? I bet you were also good".

"I did, and I like to think I was" Mr. Fitz said as he switched lanes again. "What does your mom Ella do?"

"She works in the local art gallery downtown" Aria said as she twirled a strand of her fine hair.

"Sounds fascinating," Mr. Fitz said. "I happen to love art".

"It is, it's pretty cool" Aria said with excitement, her eyes lighting up. "I happen to love art too, which is another thing we have in common. What about you, do you have any siblings'?"

"Nope, I'm the only child" Mr. Fitz said, his voice going distant.

She knew this was a touchy subject for him. She knew she should just leave it alone, but curiosity got the better of her.

"So, they just wanted only one child?" Aria pried gently.

"I'm sure they didn't, but they died when I was three" Mr. Fitz said, his eyes not seeing the road anymore, but something else.

"I'm so sorry," Aria said softly, lightly touching his arm. "If you don't mind me asking, how did they die?"

"Don't be, it was a long time ago" Mr. Fitz said, laughing softly, his eyes smiling at her. "A guy fell asleep at the wheel of his car and he ran into my parents head on…and they died instantly".

"Who raised you?" Aria asked, wanting to know who was responsible for him becoming such a great man.

"My grandparents, aunts, and my uncles" Mr. Fitz named. "They all had a hand in raising me, which I'm grateful for".

"They did a great job" Aria said, smiling at him.

He just smiled at her, his eyes holding hers, before focusing back on the road.

"Where are you originally from?" Aria asked.

"I'm from New York" Mr. Fitz said as he passed a car.

"Your girlfriend, I forgot her name, she's from there too?" Aria asked, playing coy again.

She was lying she knew her name.

"Her name is Jamiee, but no she's not from New York. She's from San Francisco" Mr. Fitz said as he glanced over at her. "And I know you knew her name".

Aria just shrugged her shoulders.

"You mind if I turn on the radio?" Aria asked.

"No, go ahead" Mr. Fitz said.

Aria reached over to turn the radio on, Redeeming love by Amy Stroup blared from the speakers. She loved this song. She sighed in pleasure. She leaned her head back against the headrest, and then she closed her eyes as she started to sing along. Her beautiful voice singing in prefect harmony. The words flowed and so did her voice, filling the car with a beautiful sound. She put her heart into the song and it poured from her lips. As the song ended, she opened her eyes and looked over towards Mr. Fitz and saw that he was glancing over at her, a small smile playing across his kissable lips. She smiled back shyly.

"Your voice is really beautiful," Mr. Fitz complimented as he turned his attention back to the road. "Have you always been able to sing so beautifully?"

"Thanks, and yeah, every since I was a little girl" Aria said, turning again in her seat to stare at him. "I got my voice from Ella, who also has a lovely voice".

"Can your bother Mike sing as well?" Mr. Fitz asked.

"Oh god no, Aria laughed as if he said a joke. "He sounds horrible".

"That bad huh?" Mr. Fitz asked, his laughter ringing out.

"Yes, that bad" Aria said, loving the sound of his laugh. "You know what".

"What?" Mr. Fitz asked, his laughter subsiding.

"I don't even know why I'm telling you this, but when I was a little girl, Ella and I had a nightly routine of singing together before I went to sleep" Aria said, lost in her memories.

"You must have enjoyed those nights" Mr. Fitz said as he turned down her street.

"I did, me and Ella have always had that mother and daughter special bond" Aria said as she pulled out her house key from her handbag. "And thanks for giving me a lift".

"You're welcome," Mr. Fitz said as he stopped just in front of her driveway.

She got out, grabbing her handbag with her. She slammed the car door shut, but then she knocked on the window and he pressed the button to roll it down.

"Just so you know, I'm breaking up with Wes," Aria said nonchalant. "I want someone else".

And with that, she turned around and headed up her driveway, leaving him speechless with his mouth hanging open. Her smile growing wider and wider. She was going to have him. She could feel it.

**So, there you go Chapter 4. Did you love it? Because I did. Review me and let me know your thoughts. Up next Ezra POV.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

**Ezra POV**

Ezra hit his bedside clock to stop the loud buzzing noise, then he sat up, and then he pushed back his covers and got out of bed. He yawned loudly, running his fingers through his disheveled hair. He had a rough time getting to sleep last night. He was dead tired, but he knew he couldn't be late teaching his first period class. Aria had invaded his mind all night long, which had kept him up. No matter how much he tried, he couldn't get her out of his head. She stayed there constantly, taunting him in cruel ways. He made his way to his bathroom.

He turned on the shower and hot water blasted out the showerhead. He took off his pajama pants, and then he hopped into the shower, letting the water relax him. He grabbed his bath cloth, then he squeezed some axis shower gel onto his cloth, and then he leathered up his body as his mind strayed back to Aria. He couldn't believe that he had allowed her to brush her body up against his, without saying anything to her. He couldn't believe that he had stared at her breasts so openly with her watching him, but her hard nipples had drawn his attention.

Ezra couldn't believe that he had just ignored her words of wanting him, but he hadn't known whether to take her seriously or not. He couldn't believe that he had almost allowed himself to kiss her and he knew that she had known. It had taken everything in him to pull back and come to his senses, because he had none when it came to her. God, how he had just wanted to give in to her. It was like she had some type of spell over him, to make him want something he knew he couldn't have. If only she was older, then he would have taken her without a second thought. Why did she have to be so young? Why did she have to be in high school? Or in his class? Why did he have to be attracted to her? Questions he wanted to know the answers to.

He couldn't believe that once again he had shared personal information with her. They had talked so openly with each other. They always seem to do that. He had found out more things about her. It was inappropriate in everyway, but he couldn't seem to stop and she couldn't either. Her voice was beyond beautiful. He felt like she had been singing for him.

Ezra knew it was wrong, but he wanted to sleep with her. That realization caused him to swell enormously and he sucked in a harsh breath. He started pulsating as images filled his head. He wondered what it would feel like to be inside her. Would she be slippery wet? Would she be tight? Would he be able to fit inside her? Because his member was very big and thick. He wanted to bury himself deep inside of her as far as he could go, filling her up with his hard member and that knowledge alone scared the hell out of him, knowing that he wanted her sexually, but he knew he wouldn't cross that line and let it come to that. No matter how much he wanted her or how much she provoked him, but doubts ran through his mind.

He cleared his head and finish taking his shower, then he grabbed a towel and dried himself off, and then he wrapped the towel around his waist and stepped out the bathtub. He walked over to the sink, and then he opened the mirror and got out his shaving equipment and preceded to shave the stubble off his face. After he finish shaving, he put his equipment away, then he got out his toothbrush and toothpaste, and then he brushed his teeth before leaving out the bathroom. He walked over to his dresser to take out a pair of gray slacks, then he went over to his closet to pull out a white button down shirt and a black and gray plaid vest, and then he bent down to take his black loafers out the shoe box and put them on.

Ezra ran his finger through his still damp hair, going for a messy look today. He put on his watch, and then he sprayed on some cologne. He left out his bedroom and headed down the hallway to his office to grab the papers he had printed out last night before going to bed. He put them into his black leather shoulder bag. He also grabbed one of his newest books off the bookshelf to read during his lunch and his fourth period.

He put his wallet and car keys into his pocket, and then he grabbed his jacket off the coat rack on the way out the office door. He headed towards the kitchen to put a pot of coffee on, then he opened the refrigerator and grabbed the bag of bagels and the container of cream cheese, and then he went over to the toaster. He reached up and grabbed a plate and a mug from the cupboard.

His bagel popped up and he placed it onto his plate, then he leaned his hip up against the counter while spreading cream cheese on his bagel ,and then he took a bite of the bagel. He poured hot coffee into his favorite black mug, and then took a long sip, savoring the flavor. He kept glancing down at his watch to make sure he wasn't running late. He sat down his mug and finished off the rest of his scrumptious raisin bagel, before putting the dirty plate into the kitchen sink. He drank some more of his coffee, and then he poured the rest of it down the drain.

Ezra cell phone rung as he headed out the apartment door. He was going to ignore it, but the caller was persistent. He looked at the number and grinned, answering it after the fourth ring.

"Reed," Ezra said, smiling into the receiver. It was his old college buddy. They had been roommates at Hollis. "What's been going on man?"

"I should be asking you the same thing" Reed said with laughter in his voice. " God, it has been forever since we talked last. Where are you off to, work?"

"Yeah, I'm heading out the door now as we speak" Ezra answered as he walked towards the parking garage. "How about you?"

"Same, I just wanted to call you before I left" Reed said. "How about me and you get together at the campus bar for beers tonight? that will give us plenty of time to catch up and talk about old times".

"Sure, it's a Friday night, why not" Ezra said as he unlocked his car door and got in. "What time do you want to meet up?

"I was thinking about 8:00 pm" Reed said. "It's going to be so weird being back on campus again".

"Sounds good to me," Ezra said as he started up his car and headed towards the high school. "And tell me about it".

"Okay then, I'll see you there tonight" Reed said before hanging up.

He put his phone down and focused on the road in front of him. He inhaled deeply, the inside of his car still smelled of Aria. He couldn't get her out of his head. He was looking forward to hanging out with Reed tonight. He was a fun guy to be around and he would be able to keep his mind occupied, so he wouldn't think about Aria. Reed was one of his best friends and he had been the one to introduce him to Jamiee. They had done a lot of mischievous things at Hollis together. He laughed to himself as he parked his car in the teacher parking lot and got out, grabbing his shoulder bag, and then he slung it across his shoulder.

Reed was there at times when he needed him and he was there for him in return. They were more like brothers than best friends. He went to the office to check his mailbox, and then he headed to his classroom just as the bell rung for first period. He quickly wrote down the daily objectives, and then he passed out handouts as his students came walking in.

He greeted them with a warm smile as they took their seats. He was in the middle of explaining the project he wanted them to do and have ready for presentation next week, when Aria came waltzing into the room twenty minutes late. He was so distracted by her appearance, that he didn't realize he had stopped talking in mid-sentence.

Her brown eyes glittered at him and her red lips flashed him a flirtatious smile as she handed him her slip. Her red nails making sure to run down his hand. He felt his lust forming, but he pushed it back, keeping his face straight because of the many eyes on them. He felt his member give a slight twitch. His eyes followed her all the way to her seat, taking all of her in.

Her gorgeous dark hair was straighten. It fell down her back and shoulders like a raving waterfall. He wanted to run his fingers through the silky strands. She had on a long white sleeve shirt with a small red vest with gold buttons and a black belt, a pair of red skinny jeans that hugged her soft curves and round bottom, and black boots. He could see the impression of her black bra, which was a little bit too small for her large round breasts.

Ezra tore his eyes away with difficulty, but not before seeing all the guys in his class staring at her as well. She was like one big magnet of attraction. A tempting temptress that lured unsuspecting men and boys by a flip of her dark locks, a look from her deep brown eyes, a seductive smile from those luscious lips, and the sway of her hips. He saw the want in their eyes and he got angry, but then he remembered she wasn't his, so he had no right to feel possessive of her. He had never felt this way when guys would look at Jamiee, so why was he feeling this way about Aria?

As the class ended, he told them not to forget abut the project he assigned, because it would count as a big part of their grade. That they could choose to use the list of authors he provided or they could pick another author that's not on the list. He told them to make sure that both front and back of the worksheets he handed out earlier was completed before they turn it in on Monday, he also told them to study hard for the spelling test he was going to give on next Wednesday, and then he told them if they wanted to be in his poetry club to sign up at the end of the day on his classroom door.

They filed out his room and he got ready for his next class, not noticing that Aria had stayed behind. He looked up from his papers, watching as Aria approached him slowly, walking so seductively that he had to make sure his second period class hadn't arrived yet. He felt his throbbing member straining against his slacks with such force. He held back the groan that was threatening to spill from his lips. She watched him and he watched her, forgetting to hide the lust that darken his blue eyes.

She laughed softly as she read the lust in his eyes, enjoying the fact that she had caused it. She licked her red lips intentionally and he wondered if they would taste like a red candy apple. He shook his head, feeling frustrated with himself, because he knew that he couldn't feel this way or think this way about her. It was wrong. By god, it was so wrong, but he couldn't help it for the life of him. He got his feelings and thoughts under control before he finally spoke.

"How is your car?" Ezra asked as he moved around the classroom placing handouts on the individual tables.

"Still not drivable," Aria said as she let out an aggravated breath as she followed him around the room. "I took it to the shop this morning, so that's why I was little bit late to class and I know that's not excusable".

He smiled at how cute she looked with her pouting mouth.

"I'm sure it's nothing major" Ezra offered helpfully. "How did you get to school?"

He knew he was fishing for information, but he was hoping that Wes didn't bring her for his own selfish reasons.

"I'm driving Ella's car" Aria said as she followed him back up to his desk. "I want to thank you again, for giving me a ride home last night".

"You're welcome, I didn't mind at all" Ezra said truthfully, smiling at her. "In fact I would have done it for just about anyone who was in the same predicament".

He could tell that she didn't like his comment by the frown on her beautiful face.

"What can I do to pay you back? I could cook you dinner at your house" Aria suggested, her eyes intent on his face. "That way I can see where the infamous Mr. Fitz lives".

"Infamous, really?" Ezra asked with laughter as his eyes held hers, which was also sparkling with laughter. "I don't think that's appropriate Aria, but how about if my car doesn't start and if you're nearby, then you can give me a lift home".

Aria just shrugged her shoulders as his second period class came into the room, interrupting their conversation.

"I should be going," Aria said as she walked towards the door, and then she turned back around. "Oh, I forgot to tell you, your book is in, so come pick it up".

Ezra watched as she left, the longing apparent on his face. He wouldn't have dared suggested she come to his apartment. One it was inappropriate, and two it was dangerous when he was continuing to have lustful thoughts about her. It was for her own good and for his sanity. The rest of the day was a blur for him, nothing but thoughts of Aria filled his mind. When the bell rung, he got into his car and headed towards the book rack to pick up his book. He decided to look around a little to see what new arrivals they had in. When nothing caught his interest, he made his way over to the customer service desk and paid for his book, and then he left the store and headed to his car.

When he got home he graded papers, had a light dinner of Garlic Chicken with Spanish Rice, and then he read some more of his book. He glanced at the clock and notice it was time for him to leave and meet up with Reed. He went to his bedroom to get ready. He put on a plaid blue shirt that matched the color of his eyes and a pair of causal jeans, before he headed out the apartment. He drove towards Hollis, ready for a night of fun and relaxation. He didn't won't to think about Aria. Not tonight anyway.

He shouldered his way into the crowded bar and looked around, searching for Reed. He wasn't all that surprised that the place was overflowing with people. It had been this way when he was still going here. His eyes finally spotted Reed sitting to the table next to the dart board and he made his way over to him. At the same time Reed saw him and he got up as Ezra reached their table, grinning from ear to ear as he clamped him on the back. His cropped black hair was flatten by a baseball cap and small glasses framed his face. He looked the same except for the newly grown goatee. He saw that Reed had ordered a pitcher of beer and a basket of nachos for them as they sat down.

"Look at this place, it still looks the same" Reed said as he looked around, remembering their times in here.

He poured himself a glass of beer.

"Yeah, it does" Ezra said with a smile, pouring himself a glass of beer and taking a sip before sitting down his glass. "So, what have you been up to besides teaching at the rival school?"

"Are you still going to give me a hard time about that? Honestly, if Rosewood had been hiring for another history teacher, then I would have jumped at the chance" Reed said laughing. "But Riverdale was and I'm coaching one of the town's small baseball teams the Blue Jays. What about you, what have you been up to?"

"I've been thinking really hard about writing again and maybe see if I can get a short story published, but I haven't had a lot of time to write freely like I want to" Ezra said as he finished his beer, and then he poured himself another glass. " I'm about to start a poetry club so I can't wait to see who signs up for it".

"So, how are you and Jamiee? I heard she works in some big publishing company in New York" Reed said as he grabbed a nacho and popped it into his mouth. "And how are you guys handling the long distance? I know it can put a strain on any relationship good or bad. If you remember I've been in that same situation and it didn't end on a good note, but hopefully it's working for you guys. You guys have a lot more history than Sara and I had".

"We're doing fine, and yeah there has been disagreements here and there, but hopefully we can continue to work through them" Ezra said with honesty. He didn't feel like there was a need to lie. Reed was his friend after all. "What about you, you seeing anyone at the moment?"

"Yeah, Samantha," Reed said as he poured himself another glass of beer. His lips curving into a small smile at the mention of her name. "It's not that serous right now, but she's enjoying my company and I'm enjoying hers, so who really knows how things could turn out".

"I want to meet her," Ezra said suddenly, seeing the light in his friend's eyes. Samantha made him happy and he loved that she had that affect on him. "How long have you guys been seeing each other?"

"Sure, we can have a double date" Reed said as he nodded his head. " We've been seeing each other for about a month now. So, how do you like teaching English at Rosewood?"

"I love it. I love the subject, the school, and my students" Ezra said a he munched on a cheesy nacho, and then sipped some more of his beer. "How about you at Riverdale?"

"Like you, I'm loving it" Reed said as he signaled the waitress for another pitcher of beer. "Although, my students aren't as great as yours".

Ezra chuckled and grabbed more nachos, before saying, "You remember those crazy pranks we pulled off together and on each other?"

"How could I forget, we were lucky we weren't found out" Reed said as he burst out laughing. "I even remember that good prank I pulled on you, with that waitress that used to work here. The one you were crushing on".

"I made a complete ass out of myself" Ezra said with laughter. "You told me that she was interested in me too and that's the only reason why I approached her. She told me she wasn't the least bit interested in me and that her boyfriend was just sitting down at the other end of the bar, so thanks for almost getting me killed".

"What about you man, making me believe that I got a grade I didn't actually receive, and then going up to the teacher to talk about it" Reed said through his laughter as he held his glass of beer up to his lips. "Hey, you remember that time when we pledged for Phi Kappa Tau and we had to wear bikinis for hazing week and I told you we had to all meet up at one of the opposing fraternity houses and you did? And that was my ticket in".

He barked with uncontrollably laughter and Ezra just looked at him and shook his head.

"Don't remind me," Ezra said dryly as he took a swallow of his beer. "It took me forever to live that one down. Especially the taunting from the guys and the stares and giggles from the girls".

"But you have to admit that prank was pretty damn good and hilarious" Reed said with a twinkle in his eye.

"It was good, I'll give it to you" Ezra said, laughing softly, but then looking far away.

"Hey, what's on your mind?" Reed asked, looking serious.

He just wanted to say it and get it off his mind and he knew that Reed would be a better person to talk to about it.

"I find myself attracted to someone else other than Jamiee," Ezra said quietly, looking at Reed. "And for the whole three years I haven't once looked at another woman until now".

"Who is she? Does she live here? How old is she? Does she work at the school too?" Reed asked as he looked at him.

"She's younger" Was all Ezra said, before taking another swallow of his beer.

"How much younger?" Reed asked with caution.

"She's one of my students Reed, and don't go looking at me like that, I never planned for this to happen" Ezra said, waiting for Reed to say something, anything. "She's very tempting and I find myself sexually drawn to her as well. She's very mature for her age and we have a lot of things in common. And I can talk to her openly and it's the same way with her too".

"Ezra," Reed said as he shook his head. "Come on man, I have some very beautiful female students too, but I don't find myself even remotely attracted to them. Has she been coming on to you?"

Ezra nodded, but didn't say anything else.

"What are you going to do? Reed asked, knowing his friend was really struggling with this. "You need to go ahead and resolve the issue before it gets out of control, and then there's no going back".

He just shrugged his shoulders, not knowing what to do.

"Ask yourself these questions, is she worth losing your job over? Or going to jail for? Is she so tempting enough to risk destroying your relationship with Jamiee for? Man you've been knowing Jamiee way longer than this student of yours" Reed stressed, trying to make him see reason.

When he didn't say anything, Reed just blow out a breath and shook his head again.

"Let's go play some darts man" Reed said as he got up.

"Okay," Ezra said as he got up and followed him.

They played a couple games of darts, then they played a couple rounds of pool, and then they ordered more nachos and another pitcher of beer, before heading back to their table to joke and talk some more. Ezra excused himself to go to the restroom. On the way back to his table, he looked towards the bar and he stopped dead in his tracks. Something was very familiar about the girl whose back was facing him, her rich straight brunette hair and how voluptuous she was shaped. He raked his brain trying to think, but he couldn't place her.

She wore a casual black top that had a scoop neckline that cinched at the bottom, denim tight jeans, and black open toe heels. He wanted her to turn around. He knew she would be beautiful. He shook his head, feeling ridiculous just standing there eyeing her. He finally tore his gaze away from her and made his way back to his table, but his eyes kept straying towards her. Why was he being drawn to her? Did he know her? Who was she?

"If you keep staring at her like that, then she's going to turn around and catch you" Reed remarked as he threw back the last of his beer, his eyes also lingering on the girl at the bar. "Do you know her?"

"No, she just seem so familiar" Ezra replied without taking his eyes off of her.

"You should buy her a drink" Reed proposed.

He tore his gaze away from her a second time to stare at Reed, reading the challenge in his green eyes. Without saying anything, he got up and walked over to the bar. As soon as he got closer to her, a familiar flowery scent filled his nose causing him to harden instantly. Where had he smelled that scent before? Who could cause this reaction from him? He didn't know. His mind was at a blank, probably from all the beer he drank.

"Could I buy you a…" Ezra didn't finish. He was shocked, his smile leaving his face as he stared into Aria's eyes.

"Mr. Fitz, do you buy all the random ladies a drink?" Aria asked teasingly, her brown eyes laughing as they ran over him boldly. "Who are you here with?"

"No, aren't you a little young to be in a bar Aria?" Ezra asked, trying to recover from the shock of seeing her. "And I'm here with my old college friend Reed".

He pointed to his table, seeing Reed eyeing him and Aria with interest, his eyes questioning.

"Oh relax, I'm not drinking or anything. I'm just out with a friend that goes here" Aria said as she twirled her straw in her soda. "I'm not that young, we both know I'm a woman Mr. Fitz".

She smiled sexily, causing his nostrils to flare.

"Who are you here with Aria?" Ezra asked curiously as he looked around, trying to figure it out for himself, silently hoping it wasn't some other guy. Why did he even care?

She didn't have to answer, because some tall good looking athletic guy with a college jacket on headed towards them and he had his answer. He couldn't keep the jealous look from his face or the anger from flashing in his eyes. Aria eyed him, seeing these emotions.

"Oh," Was all Ezra said, trying to control his jealousy and anger. "I thought you were dating Wes".

He felt the hurt start to settle in. What was he, just some game to her? She touched his forearm, bringing his eyes back up to hers again. They were guarded. A habit of his when it came to her.

"Channing is Byron's teacher assistant. We were all afternoon grading papers and we just finished up and he offered to buy me something to eat" Aria explained, her eyes poring into his. "I used to date him, but there's nothing between us anymore and I am still dating Wes".

"I guess I could have figured I wasn't the only older guy" Ezra said with a dry laugh as he turned around and headed back to his table.

"So, I take it you know her?" Reed asked, noticing how his whole demeanor changed.

"That's Aria, my student" Ezra said as he threw back the remainder of his beer.

"It still doesn't make it right, but I can kind of see why you're tempted by her" Reed said as his eyes roamed over Aria, who was looking over at Ezra, before he returned his gaze back on Ezra. "I'm going to take a leak".

He got up and headed off to the restroom as Ezra glanced back over to the bar. Aria wasn't looking at him anymore. She was laughing and chatting it up with Channing. Suddenly, a song came on that Aria liked and she jumped up and started dancing slowly, her body swaying to the beat of the music and he couldn't take his eyes off of her. Her smoky brown eyes held his as her body moved in all directions, her hands rising above her head.

Her hair fell down over her eyes and shoulders, making her equally sexy. She looked at him through the dark veil of her hair, her hands beckoning him to her, but he shook his head. He could feel their sexual heat consuming the whole entire bar as they stared at one another and his member stiffened, growing larger and larger. She was a great dancer, moving her body so erotically.

She called to him again with her eyes and hands, but once again he shook his head. Afraid to move. He was afraid that if he got up and dance with her, that he would do something he would come to regret. She made her way towards him, her body still moving to the rhythm of the music. Ezra could feel watching eyes on them, but it felt like they were the only ones in the room. She bent down towards him, her glorious hair falling down onto him in a shower of waves. He could feel her heat merging with his, intensifying their sexual charge. He could only hear his harsh breathing and her light panting as she moved her body back and forth. Her lips brushed his ear, causing a tortured groan from him. It took everything in him not to give in and touch her.

"Dance with me Mr. Fitz, please dance with me" Aria begged breathlessly as she grabbed both of his hands, desperately trying to pull his body to hers. Her eyes turning into dark pools of brown as her want for him increased. "I want to feel your body up against mine again. I can see how badly you want me, the truth is in your eyes and I want you too, so stop fighting me. Stop fighting this, and just give in to me".

"Aria, stop this" Ezra said harshly, perhaps a little too harshly as he snatched his hands from hers. "You and me could never happen".

Ezra walked off, feeling her eyes on his retreating back. He hated to leave without saying anything to Reed, but he had to get out of there fast. He would have to just call him tomorrow. He couldn't be around Aria another second without sleeping with her. He ached to be inside her. As he pushed open the door to exist the bar, the cool night air hit his heated face. He headed towards his car in long strides. He heard the bar door open behind him, but he didn't stop to see who it was.

"Mr. Fitz! Wait!" Aria yelled as she ran after him. "Mr. Fitz, please".

He stopped as he reached his car, turning around to face her. God, she was so beautiful.

"Why are you leaving?" Aria asked as she stood in front of him, her eyes roaming over his face.

"Aria, you know why" Ezra said as he rubbed his right temple.

"No, I don't know why, so why don't you just explain it to me" Aria said angrily as she crossed her arms.

"Because I'm attracted to you Aria, and I know it's wrong, but no matter how much I fight it, the attraction I feel for you isn't going anywhere" Ezra said, staring down into her eyes, hoping he wasn't scaring her with his honesty."Because you make me want you, when I know I can't have you in that way. Because you scare the hell out of me, because I don't trust myself around you".

"Why don't you just take what you want? I won't stop you" Aria said as she moved closer to him.

"You know I can't, I'm your teacher and you're my student" Ezra stated frustratingly. "Aria, you're so young. You're asking me to risk at lot. My job, something that I love doing, risk going to jail, and risk destroying my relationship with Jamiee and I can't do that. Why are you so interested in me? Or I'm I just a game to you?"

"When I first saw you, I knew I wanted you, you were like some guy I never known before" Aria said as one of her arms came around to wrap around his neck. Her fingers ran through his hair. "Yes, I've been attracted to other older guys, but you're different. The pull has never been this strong before, so no, you're not just a game for me".

Her other arm came around his neck and she leaned in slowly, and then she kissed him.

"Aria, don't" Ezra said weakly as he broke his mouth away from hers. "I told you we can't do this".

"Don't fight me," Aria said against his lips as she kissed him again, adding more pressure. "I want this and I know that you want this too".

Ezra stared down into her eyes, then he looked at her glossy luscious lips, and then he threw caution to the wind and wrapped his arms around her back and kissed her back hard in a bruising way and she whimpered against his lips, kissing him back eagerly. She clung to him limply as he kissed her back with everything he felt. Frustration, lust, anger and longing ,and aggression. His emotions steered the kiss as her arms tighten around his neck. His hands came up to cup her face as he deepened the kiss between them, pushing his tongue into her warm mouth and stroking her soft tongue with his as she moaned into his open mouth. Her body trembling against his as he took her mouth over and over again with his.

Without breaking off the heavily sexually charged kiss, he turned them so that her back was up against his car as he pressed his body into hers, causing her to moan deeply as she felt his hard member protruding against her stomach. Her arms fell away from his neck and her hands gripped his shoulders, before traveling around to grip his back tightly. Her hands moved like feathers as they explored his muscled back, before they started pulling at his shirt to find an opening. He groaned as her hands snuck into his shirt, touching him all over as they explored his well defined back, grazing over the ridges that helped to shape his back.

Her hands felt some good on his bare back. His skin started to prickle with sensation and he kissed her even harder as his whole body became inflamed. Her hands traveled to his front, running her fingers over his abs before moving up towards his well defined chest. They teased his male nipples and he pushed his erection even more into her and she gasped, her shaky fingers leaving his nipples to run down his front. Before her hands could surpass the hair leading into his jeans, he let go of her face to grab her hands and he broke off the kiss. He stared down into her glazed over eyes, before letting them drop towards her slightly swollen lips. One hand came up to run across the split in her bottom lip that his kissing had caused, and then his eyes found hers again.

"Are you frighten?" Ezra asked in grating voice, his thumb leaving her lip.

"No," Aria said in a breathless whisper, shaking her head. "Take me back to your place".

He didn't know how he ended back at his apartment with Aria. He wish he could just blame it entirely on the alcohol, but he couldn't. The night was spinning out of control fast. He unlocked his apartment door and let Aria go ahead of him, flipping on the lights on his way in. He watched as she whirled around his apartment as he closed the door behind him. Her eyes took in everything, they were filled with wonder.

"Do you like it?" Ezra asked as he threw down his keys on the counter and took off his jacket.

"I love it," Aria said as she looked back at him, smiling softly, and then she headed down the hall.

Ezra followed behind her slowly as she headed into his office. He leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms and watched her as she looked around his office. Her face was in total awe and her eyes were shining as she took in his book and DVD collection, reading every single title and running her hands from shelf to shelf admiring his taste. She took a box from the shelf ,looking and reading over the front and the back cover, before holding it up for him to read. It was The Thorn Birds. It was about the forbidden love between a priest and a young woman. Another favorite movie of his and he could tell by her facial expression it was a favorite of hers too. She put the box back on the shelf, and then she walked towards him, a teasing look in her eyes

"Where's your bedroom?" Aria asked as her lips curled seductively. "I know you didn't really bring me back here to chat and drank coffee".

She didn't wait for his answer, but brushed passed him on her way out the door. She turned right and walked towards his bedroom door and opened it, and then she went in, turning back around to stare at him with huger filled eyes. He silently walked towards her, struggling to control his lust. He didn't take his eyes off hers as his hand moved along the wall searching for his bedroom light switch, and then he flipped it on, bathing them both in bright light. Her eyes flickered to his king sized bed, and then back to him. A couple more steps and he would close the distance between them, but he didn't move. He couldn't move, no matter how bad her body and eyes called to him. He had already made the mistake of kissing her once tonight. He had told himself he wasn't going to cross a line with her, but he had done it anyway. He thought about the consequences and he knew that he couldn't allow anything else to happen between them.

"Mr. Fitz," Aria said softly as she took her coat off and threw it on the bed, pulling him out of his thoughts. Her eyes watching him as she pulled her shirt over her head and it fell onto the floor at her feet. She stood in only her gray bra and tight jeans. "This is right, and this is what you and I both want".

His eyes ran over her smooth flat stomach, eyeing the small strawberry shaped birthmark near her belly button, before moving towards her gray bra. Her erect nipples were straining against the material. The tops of her creamy breasts could be seen and he wrestled with the urge to squeeze them while rubbing his thumbs over the hard nipples. He kept the lust from his eyes, keeping them devoid of any emotion. As her hands reached around her back to unhook her bra, his eyes shot back up to her face. He heard as her bra hit the floor and he wanted to look at her naked breasts, but he didn't.

"Get dress," Ezra said thickly as he turned around and left out the room and headed into the kitchen.

He drank a cup of coffee, not caring that it burned his tongue or the back of his throat. He just needed to sober up to think and act rationally. He leaned heavily on the counter resting his hands and he shook his head. How did he let tonight come to this? He didn't need to turn around to know that Aria was there. He could smell her intoxicating scent and he heard her light breathing. He closed his eyes and swallowed deeply before he opened them again, feeling in more control of the situation.

"I realize tonight that I was willing to risk everything, and I'm ashamed of myself, as well as disgusted with my acts toward you. I'm supposed to be the adult and I should know better" Ezra said as his hands gripped the counter, speaking in a strong, but clear voice. "I can't do this anymore Aria, I can't be around you anymore without being tempted by you. My duty is to teach and I can't teach you like this. It was a mistake on my part for kissing you back and I'm sorry, but I'm not willing to sacrifice what I have for something that could never happen between us. It's me and not you… I'm so distracted by you, whether you're looking at me, the words you say to me, the way you smile at me and the way you walk when you know I'm watching, but also the things you don't have control over. Like your smell, and the way you have a habit of biting or chewing on your bottom lip".

"I've never felt anything like that, the way you kissed me tonight. It was so raw and full of your emotions" Aria said quietly. "So, I don't think it was a mistake".

Her words sent chills throughout his body, but they couldn't go there again.

"I think you need to leave Aria," Ezra said with hardness dripping into his voice.

Minutes that felt like hours passed between them in silence.

"I'll leave if that's what you want" Aria said, her voice suggesting that she didn't believe him.

"That's what I want" Ezra said, the hardness still evident in his voice.

"Was bringing me back here a mistake too?" Aria asked icily.

He could feel the chilliness of her tone deep within his core, but maybe it was better if she hated him.

"Yes," Ezra answered quietly, still not willing to look at her.

When he heard the door slam, he relaxed and ran his fingers through his hair roughly. He was thinking of leaving Rosewood, putting some miles between him and Aria. He could go back to New York and teach at one of their high schools. He would be close to his family and Jamiee and that would be good for their relationship, but could he really leave Aria behind?

**I really did enjoy writing this chapter and I hoped that it showed. What did you think about it, did you love it or hate it? Let me know by reviewing me. I really do love reading what you guys have to say. Next up Aria's POV,so yay.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**Aria POV**

Aria got ready for school, turning her room upside down in the process. She stopped what she was doing and looked around her bedroom. She made a face at the destruction she had caused. She was going to be doing a lot of cleaning up when she got back home. She pulled herself out of her frozen state and finished getting ready.

She wiggled into a pair of gray stonewash denim jeans, then pulled a sweater hoodie that had her school colors and logo over her head, and then she put on her silver flats. She walked over to her vanity table and sat down. She glanced down and admired her gray fingernails. She had painted them last night. She grabbed her antique jewelry box and put silver hoops into her ears, and then she snapped on silver balls for her second holes. She smeared on grayish black eyeshadow, added black eyeliner on , and then she added mascara on both top and bottom lashes, adding an extra coat for thickness and fullness. Then she brushed on pink innocence lipstick on her full lips, making them sparkle as the light hit them. She pulled her hair into a tight ball at the back of her head, and then she put on a headband to keep any loose strands from falling into her eyes.

Aria got up. She couldn't believe that it was already Tuesday. The weekend and Monday had flew by fast. She had spent her whole entire weekend working on her project that Mr. Fitz had assigned and studying for the spelling test he was going to give tomorrow. He had been really guarded yesterday and had barely spoken a single word to her. He also had avoided her at every opportunity he got and she couldn't really blame him after the way she had acted towards him.

She could tell hat he had been expecting her to flirt and come on to him again, but she hadn't. She had decided that night, that wonderful Friday night to give him some space and let him be the one to come to her on his own free will. She was only going to make him see how much he really wanted her without coming on to him. She wasn't in any rush, as long as she got him.

Aria shook her head and laughed to herself as she remembered how she had dance so shamelessly for him. She had felt the heat in his eyes as he watched her and it had scorched her skin and had made her whole entire body tingle. Her panties had been so wet with her juices flowing. She had never been that wet before. Between her thighs had been aching and throbbing. She had thought that she would go insane if she didn't have his dick inside of her already. She knew he was really big, because she had felt every inch of him and she couldn't wait to have him filling her. She knew that he would give her multiple orgasms and her toes curled just at the thought.

Her nipples had been aching so bad, that she had wanted him to suck on them to ease the pain. She shook her head once more and left out her room, heading downstairs to make her growling stomach some breakfast. She took the note off the refrigerator and read it, it was from Ella. She said that her and Byron were going to a dinner banquet and that they weren't going to be home until late tonight, so heat up the Tuna casserole she made for her and Mike, and to make something to go with it. Her eyes fell to the bottom of the note and Ella said Byron wanted her to go to his department this afternoon to help Channing with putting a test together for tomorrow's class.

She put some sausage links and mini pancakes into the microwave, then she grabbed the syrup bottle from the bottom cabinet, and then she grabbed the pitcher of pink lemonade from out the refrigerator and headed to the table. The microwave beeped, and then she got up to go get her food. She poured some lemonade into her glass, before she started eating. Her mind wandered back to the way Mr. Fitz kissed her and she giggled softly. She still felt the effects and pressure of that amazing kiss. He had awoken so many things in her. She had felt weak, breathless, and speechless after his kiss. Every part of his body had felt good. She loved the way her hands had affected him when they had roamed over him. She had wanted him to have sex with her at that very moment. She couldn't believe the way he had pushed his erection into her and she groaned, wanting to feel him again. With him just doing that, he had lit the match even more between them, and now she wanted it to burn. She couldn't wait until it burn.

Aria finished up her food, and then she got up to wash her dirty dishes and to put away the things she had. She left out the kitchen and headed to the living room and grabbed her backpack, handbag, and her coat. She was glad that Mike had stayed over at a friend's house, which meant she didn't have to worry about being late for school. She made sure that every door and window in the house was locked and made sure the house security alarm was on, before she left out the house and headed to her car.

She was really happy to finally have her own car back, and to know that Mr. Fitz had been right. That it wasn't anything seriously wrong with it. She deposed of her stuff on the backseat, and then she got inside her car and drove towards school. She couldn't believe that Mr. Fitz had actually took her back to his place when she had asked him. She loved his apartment. Especially upon seeing his book and DVD collection and his big king size bed. She could get lost in it. She wondered how it would feel against her naked body. She couldn't wait to lose her virginity to him on it, or in his front room on his comfy looking couch or even in his office on the floor surrounded by his many collections or even on his kitchen counter. She could picture him now as he held onto her hips as he thrusted into her, slightly lifting her off the counter with each deep thrust. She knew it would hurt like hell the first time and that there would be some bleeding involve, but she knew that Mr. Fitz would be gentle with her and give her pleasure and that's all she cared about.

Aria parked and Emily pulled up right beside her. She smiled and waved, taking her stuff from the backseat as well as locking all her doors.

"So, why didn't you show up at the party last Thursday night? It was fun" Emily said as they walked side by side up towards the school.

"I was having a date night with myself," Aria said as she opened the door to enter the school. It was crowded and noisy with everyone headed to their lockers or first period class. They shoved their way through. "You know I have always done that".

"Yeah, I know. What did you plan for yourself" Emily asked with a smile as she opened up her locker.

"I went to the Carmike and saw It Happened One Night" Aria said as she glanced down the hallway and saw Wes standing by her locker. He saw her and his gorgeous grayish blue eyes lit up with happiness. She quietly mouthed hey and he mouthed hey back, and then she turned her attention back to Emily.

"That's one of your favorite movies" Emily mused as she took out books for her first and second period class, and then she closed her locker door with a bang. "So, you have any plans for tonight? I think we should have a girls night at my house tonight. I already asked Spencer and Hanna and they said they're coming over, so now that only leaves you. So please say that you'll come".

"I know, it's like everytime I see it, it's like watching it for the first time" Aria said smiling, her eyes roaming back towards Wes, who was talking with a buddy. "And I don't know if I can make it. Ella and Byron are going to a dinner banquet tonight and it's just me and Mike alone and I don't won't to leave him, because I know he will do something stupid like throw a party".

"How about if we have girls night at your house instead?" Emily suggested as she waved to her rival Paige McCullers.

"That's better, " Aria said as she shifted her stuff to the other side of her.

"Good, I'll talk to you later at lunch" Emily said as she hugged her, and then headed off to her first period class.

She walked to her locker just as Wes's buddy headed off down the hallway. He greeted her with a hard kiss on the lips, his mouth smiling against hers.

"I had a great time last night" Wes said as he kissed her on the lips again, this time lingering a bit longer.

"I did too," Aria said as she kissed him back. "Who knew we could do some many fun things up in my room".

"I rather enjoyed cuddling with you on your bed" Wes said as he kissed her soft neck, before moving back up to capture her lips with his. "As well as being on top of you".

"I enjoyed having you on top of me," Aria said in a low sexy whisper against his lips as her mouth moved with his, before she pulled back, and then opened up her locker.

"Do you want to go to the Bowling Alley tonight?" Wes asked as he watched her take books out her locker. "We could bowl a little, then we could order some food, and then we could go back to my place afterwards".

"I can't, I already made plans with the girls" Aria said as she slammed her locker.

"Okay, then. How about you meet me at the pool later on today?" Wes asked as he took her into his arms, holding her body tight against his as he gazed down into her eyes. His eyes glistening wickedly "It will just be me and you alone. Nobody around to interrupt us".

"And, I am liking the idea" Aria said as she crushed her lips against his. "I got to get to class and you do too".

She broke away from him, but he pulled her back to him and she laughed. His mouth crushing down on hers once again. He deepen the kiss by thrusting his tongue into her mouth, massaging her tongue with his. She moaned into his mouth as her hand came up to grasp his hair, her fingers running through the softness. She finally broke her mouth away from his as the warning bell rung to get to class before the actual first period bell sounded off. He protested, his eyes dropping down to look at her mouth with longing, before they stared back into her face. He said without words that he couldn't wait to get her alone, and then he turned around and left.

Aria walked towards English class, her footsteps echoing against the hard floor. Her mind going back to when she said she would break up with Wes, but she decided against now. This was all part of her plan to draw Mr. Fitz to her. She knew that she was only using Wes for her own advantage and she knew that sounded horrible, but she was willing to do so an order to get what she wanted. She knew that this wasn't fair to Wes and that he didn't deserve this either, but she would just have to feel bad about it later.

She shook her head and stopped just outside of Mr. Fitz's door. She reached down into her handbag and grabbed her compact mirror. She reapplied her pink innocence lipstick, before opening the classroom door and going in. She walked into English class and stopped in the middle of the room, her smile frozen on her lips. She felt like she had just walked into a nightmare. She knew that her eyes weren't playing any tricks on her, and that she was really seeing Jamiee standing by Mr. Fitz's desk. She was even more breathtaking in person. She couldn't help noticing how close they stood, or help feeling the jealousy that burned inside of her.

It took all the effort she had to keep her face straight and unreadable, but her brown eyes glowed with sparks. She couldn't believe that she had forgot Spencer mentioning that his girlfriend would be returning on Monday. She stared into Mr. Fitz eyes and he stared right back with no emotion. He was trying to read her emotions, but she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction. Was he trying to make some kind of statement? Was that why he bought her here? Her eyes questioned him. She tore her eyes away from him and let them flicker over to Jamiee, who was smiling warmly at her. She gave her a big fake smile in return. Jamiee was oblivious to Aria's true feelings towards her, but Mr. Fitz knew.

She could feel the weight of his eyes as he watched her as she looked at Jamiee. She spared him another look, before she turned and walked to her desk. She could feel the intensity of his gaze as his eyes followed her. Did he really think that Jamiee being back would stop her from pursing him? Or him from being attracted to her? If so, then he was seriously mistaken. She wasn't about to let Jamiee being back ruin her plans. Mr. Fitz was going to be hers.

Aria usually wouldn't rush English by, but she found that she just wanted the period to be over with already. She kept glancing at the wall clock, hoping that the time would fly by. She tapped her feet against the floor noisily and her pencil against the desk, disturbing the people around her. They shot her annoyed looks, but she didn't care. She just had to get out of the room. She tried to focus on what Mr. Fitz was teaching and on the work he handed out, but she felt like she was trapped. Forced to endure watching him with Jamiee. She hated it. It was torture having to sit there and watch them interact with each other. She tried to ignore them and keep her eyes away from them, but her eyes would always betray her by straying back to them, time and time again.

If it wasn't the sound of their laughter, then it was the way he would look at her and smile and the way she would always touch him affectionately. Not once did he look her way. Once she had been staring at them for too long and he had caught her. Her eyes were unguarded, open for display. They were full of emotions, emotions she didn't understand. She knew that she was angry, hurt, and jealous, but she couldn't pen point the others. Maybe she didn't want to. They were nameless for now. She smiled at him. A real smile, but it didn't quite reach her eyes, and then she tore her gaze away and looked down at the worksheet in front of her, trying once again to concentrate.

As the bell rung, she answered the last question on the worksheet and left it on her desk, and then she gathered her things and headed towards Mr. Fitz desk. She dragged her feet on the way, feeling reluctant to go, but she knew she had no other choice because she didn't understand the homework assignment he wanted them to do. She couldn't stand being around him and Jamiee another minute without showing how she really felt. Mr. Fitz watched her approach him. He didn't look it, but she knew that he was nervous. His hands gripped the sides of his desk.

She could read in his eyes that he didn't know what her intentions were going to be, but she assured him with her eyes that she didn't have an ulterior motive and she saw the relief wash over his eyes. Was he really that afraid of losing Jamiee? That question made her frown.

"Mr. Fitz, I don't think I quite understand what you want us to do for the homework assignment" Aria said as she stared up into his beautiful face, keeping her voice as normal at possible. His blue eyes latched onto her brown ones as though they had be starving for hers. "I didn't want to take the risk of doing the assignment wrong, so I thought I might ask to make sure I'm on the right track".

A trace of a smile played across his gorgeous mouth and she instantly got wet. She squeezed her thighs together to stop the extreme throbbing. She remembered all too well what that mouth had felt like against hers and what it had done to her. She shivered inwardly. She wanted to lean across the desk that was separating them and place her lips upon his, but two thing stopped her. Number one, she would mess up her plan to have him come to her, and two, Jamiee was standing there watching them. Her pretty cornflower blue eyes ran over Aria.

"Good call. Basically, I want you to read the story carefully and thoroughly and come up with about fifteen questions and on a separate sheet of paper have the answers to those questions, because we're going to exchange them in class tomorrow" Mr. Fitz explained. "Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"No, thanks," Aria said, plainly and rudely ignoring Jamiee. "I think I better get to second period before I be late".

Aria turned to leave, but Jamiee's voice stopped her.

"Aria, is that your name?" Jamiee asked with friendliness. "It's really beautiful and very unusual. Where did your parents come up with the name?"

"Yeah, it is. Thanks," Aria said tersely, her eyes watching as Mr. Fitz went around the room collecting papers. "It was my grandmother's name. My parents, Byron and Ella thought it suited me, because I reminded them of her. Not just with my looks, but also with my personality. How did you know?"

She could feel Mr. Fitz listening to every word she said.

"I looked at Ezra's seating chart. And I'm Jamiee by the way" Jamiee said as she put down Mr. Fitz seating chart. "How do you like Ezra's class? I understand he loves teaching you guys".

"I love Mr. Fitz class. I love English. I love the way he draws you in with a single word "Aria said with a soft smile as her eyes found Mr. Fitz. It felt like an invisible shockwave had passed between them. "He's my favorite teacher.

An agonizing look crossed his face and he tore his eyes away from hers. She stared at his back.

"I know he's happy about that," Jamiee said smiling, totally unaware of what was going on right in front of her. "You're really pretty and I bet you could have all the guys around here".

"Not all of them," Aria said quietly as her eyes connected with Mr. Fitz again, watching as he dropped the papers in his hands from hearing what she said. She smirked, before leaving out the room.

By the time lunch rolled around she was starving, so she got into the long lunch line with Emily in front of her and Hanna behind her. Spencer was nowhere in sight. She was glad that her second and third period class was over with. She looked to see what they were having today. Pizza or Cheeseburgers with French fries was on the display glass. She grabbed a plate that had a cheeseburger and fries on it, and then she put it on her tray. Then she moved down the line to grab a toss salad, a slice of apple pie, and a glass of sweet tea. She paid for her food at the cash register, before grabbing a couple of napkins, packets of ketchup, salt and mayonnaise, and a plastic fork and spoon.

Aria left out the lunch line and headed to her table, seeing Mr. Fitz walking into the cafeteria with Jamiee. She nearly collided with someone else, because she was so distracted with seeing his hand on the small of her back as they headed for the lunch line. With some difficulty, she tore her eyes away from them and sat down at her table and started to eat her food, not really tasting or enjoying her food.

She wasn't that hungry anymore. Emily and Hanna started talking, but she just sat back listening and smiling, not really up to joining their conversation. When she finally looked up, Mr. Fitz was introducing Jamiee to the other teachers that sat at their table. She yanked her eyes away, refusing to spare them another glance. She practically threw herself into Emily and Hanna's conversation.

"Where is Spencer?" Aria asked as she popped a French fry into her mouth, and then she drank some of sweet tasting tea. "I thought she was supposed to meet us here".

"She's finishing up her chemistry test" Emily said as she ate her fruit cup. "She said that the teacher gave them until tomorrow, but you know Spencer, she said she would rather finish it today".

"I would have gladly taking the extra day" Hanna admitted, not having any shame.

That was Hanna for you.

"Oh, we know you would have Han," Aria said with laughter, her laughter filling the whole cafeteria.

At the sound of her laugh, Mr. Fitz looked her way, but she didn't look at him.

"Yeah, she definitely would" Emily said, giggling as her eyes looked over at Hanna.

"You guys know me all too well," Hanna said, joining in their laughter. "Aria do you want me to pick up pizza on my way to your house tonight? Unless you guys want something else, like Chinese maybe? Or Burgers and fries and vanilla milkshakes from the Dairy shack? Or I could order us some Subs from that new cafe downtown?"

"Subs sounds good. What about you Em?" Aria asked as she finished the last of her apple pie. "Han, could you also get Mike a sub too and I'll just pay you for it?"

"Subs are okay with me," Emily said as she waved to some of her teammates on her swim team.

"Sure, I don't mind" Hanna said as she got out a feather pen and a piece of notebook paper from her designer handbag. "What type of sub do you guys want? I'm getting a Philly cheesesteak ".

"Hmm… get me an oven roasted chicken sub, and get Mike a ham and turkey and cheese sub" Aria said as she put down her glass of tea.

"Just get me a club with everything," Emily said, trying to be simple.

"Okay, then I'll get Spencer a Tuna sub" Hanna said as she put everything back into her handbag, her eyes staring over at Mr. Fitz table. "So, I see Mr. Fitz as brought his lover to school today. She's cute. I especially love that black hair of hers. It goes well with her complexion".

"That's her?" Emily asked as she looked over at their table too. "She's really beautiful. Mr. Fitz has good taste".

"Yeah, that's the one and only Jamiee," Aria said, trying to keep the dislike from her voice, but she didn't succeed, because Hanna shot her a look.

"So, you've meet her?" Hanna asked, finding it odd that Aria didn't like her.

"Yeah," Aria said, shrugging.

"Is she nice?" Emily asked.

"She's all right, I guess I don't even know her all that well. I just met her today," Aria said irritably as she got up to go dump her tray in the garbage can. "I'll see you guys later at my house tonight".

Aria left out the cafeteria and headed to her locker, and then she headed to her fourth period class, which was yearbook staff. When she walked into the room there were only a couple of people there. She figured the others were out around school taking pictures or getting interviews and quotes. She put her things down and she soon got lost in taking pictures, arranging, and typing.

She was the last one in the room when she got a call to come down to the office to pick up a package that had been delivered. She was busy rifling through the box of proofs that were going into the yearbook, when the box fell out of her hand and hit the floor with a thud. Pictures went flying in every direction. Mr. Fitz was standing in the middle of the room and he turned around to face her when he heard the loud commotion. She fell to her knees and started collecting the fallen proofs and he came over to help her.

What was he doing here? Then she remembered he still had to take his picture for the yearbook. They both went for the same picture when their hands grazed each other incidentally. She gasped, when she felt the shock of electricity from his touch and she knew that he had felt it too as they stared into each others eyes, both of theirs hands frozen on that one picture.

God, she couldn't move and neither could he as they continued to look into each others eyes. The air was so thick with intensity, that she thought she would suffocate from it. She could only hear the pound of her rapidly beating heart and his harsh breathing. Her brown eyes turning into a blazing inferno. She could see the fire of lust burning within his.

Her tongue came out to wet her suddenly dry lips, his eyes never dropping from hers. She wanted so badly to give in, but she knew that he still would resist her, so she held herself back. He had to be the one that came to her. She felt the tightening in her stomach and the aching in her breasts, but she ignored it. Finally, for once not giving into her impulsiveness. A loose strand of her hair fell into her face and without thinking, he reached over and brushed the strand aside, his hand lingering longer than it should. The moment was broken.

"Don't," Aria said in a strangled voice as she got off the floor, putting some space between them.

"I'm sorry," Mr. Fitz apologized as he looked down at his hand.

It was like her don't had burned him.

"Let's just get this over with," Aria said as she sat the box of proofs down on the table, and then grabbed the book sitting on it and gave it to him. "Choose a background".

Aria went to go set the camera up. After he finally decided on which background he wanted, she told him to have a seat, and then she walked around him to pull down the background he chose. She secured the background the way she wanted it, and then she went back around him to get behind the camera. His eyes followed her every move she made. She snapped his picture, and it was done.

She stuffed her things into her locker, and then she headed towards the school indoor swimming pool, needing to have Mr. Fitz out of her head at the moment. Wes was already in the pool when she got there. She want over to the edge of the pool and stripped down into her pink bra and matching pink panties. His eyes ran over her with desire when seeing her naked flesh. She smiled, turning around so he could see every inch of her. He held his arms out for her and she went. She stepped down the ladder and as soon as she felt the water surrounding her, he took her in his embrace, planting sweet kisses against her neck and down her shoulders, before touching her lips with his. She wrapped her legs around his strong waist, hearing him groan softly against her lips as she sat upon his engorged member.

She wiggled on him playfully and he laughed, and then bit down on her bottom her mouth away from his, she kicked off from him and started to swim around, making sure not to get her hair wet. They swam side by side, enjoying the chlorine cool water that touched and caressed their skin. Each ripple brushing up against them like a soft lullaby.

They started to race each other and she was laughing so hard that she swallowed huge gulps of water and her eyes were blinded by tears. He was being so competitive. He was such a natural in the water like Emily. They could easily command the water to do what they wanted. After he won for the tenth time, he pinned her up against the side of the swimming pool. His body pressing into hers and he bent his head down and kissed her with all the pent up passion that stole her breath.

Her arms came up to dangle loosely around his neck and she tilted her head and kissed him back, but not as passionately. Not when all the passion she felt was for Mr. Fitz and only him. It was so frustrating not having what she wanted, but she had to remember to be patient. That Mr. Fitz would come to her eventually. She could feel Wes kissing and touching different parts of her body, but she wasn't into it and she soon grew bored. She wanted something exciting and Mr. Fitz gave her that.

Maybe she should just go ahead in break up with Wes, and just forget about that part of the plan. The only hands she wanted to touch her body and bring it to life was Mr. Fitz. It was his kisses she wanted and craved for. Wes hands were reaching behind her back to unhook her bra, when the bell rung to end school. She pushed him away, and then she got out of the pool, water droplets dripping from off her body. He hoisted himself out of the pool and she walked over to the diving board to grab a towel and dried herself off, before heading off to the girls locker room with her clothes. She told him that she would call him tonight over her shoulder. But she wasn't going to call him. At least not tonight anyway.

Aria dropped Mike off home, and then she headed towards the University. It was just too quiet in the car, so she turned on the radio. Call Me by Robbie Nevil came thumping out the speakers, so she hummed along. Her fingers drumming lightly on the steering wheel. She exited off the interstate, and then she followed the arrows pointing towards Hollis college.

She finally drove up towards the huge campus, going around the back to head to the English department building. If she wasn't so used to coming here, then she would have gotten lost. Hollis truly was a beautiful University. She couldn't wait to attend here. She already knew the Dean of admissions and some of the Professors. Not to mention she already knew some of its students. She parked and got out, grabbing her handbag and bottle of water. She walked towards the building, opening the door as three campus guys came out. They looked her over appraisingly, not trying to conceal the thirst in their eyes, and she just stared back at them with a not interested expression, so don't even try to grab my attention. As the large doors closed behind her, she heard their whistles and crude remarks and she just rolled her eyes with annoyance, not bothering to spend another second thinking about them.

Aria opened the door to Byron's classroom and went in. Channing had papers strewn about everywhere. On the floor, on Byron's desk, and on the many tables that occupied the room. She observed as he went about from place to place, trying to organize the test for tomorrow. He turned her way when he heard the click of the door shutting behind her. He smiled at her and gave her a thank god you're here look.

"Channing, I bet you're glad I'm here, aren't you?" Aria asked with a teasing laugh as she sat her stuff in one of the many available chairs in the front row, and then moved to stand next to him.

"You have no idea, I'm getting a little confuse here. I'm pretty sure I stapled two papers that were the exact same together" Channing laughed as he searched through the papers on the table in front of him.

"Well, I'm here to help. What do you want me to do?" Aria asked as she waited patiently for his instructions.

"You could go ahead and work on those papers on your dad's desk" Channing instructed, nodding his head towards the desk. "And there's an extra stapler in the top right drawer".

"Okay," Aria said as she moved over to the desk and took out the black stapler from the top right drawer.

"How was school?" Channing asked conversationally as he pushed a stack of papers aside, and then he went to the next pile. His black eyes locking with hers.

"The usual," Aria said, not divulging anymore as her hands shuffled through the papers, trying to put them in order. "What about your classes?"

"It's hectic, a lot of things have to be done and completed for my many courses or I won't pass" Channing said as he ran a hand though unruly black hair.

"Sounds stressful," Aria empathized as she started to work on the papers on the floor at her feet.

"It is," Channing confirmed as he stapled the last paper in his pile, and then he moved to the next stack of papers. "You didn't have to work today?"

"No, I got the day off, but I do work tomorrow instead" Aria said as she stapled two papers together, and then she pushed them aside. "You working at the campus bar tonight?"

"No, they gave me the night off" Channing said as he got down on the floor beside her to help her. "There's a big party on campus tonight at one of the fraternity houses, you want to go with me?"

"I can't, I have plans with Spencer, Emily, and Hanna tonight" Aria said as she worked on the papers on her left.

"Well, that's too bad. I was really looking forward to having some fun with you tonight" Channing said with a teasing smile, his black eyes gleaming with light.

"Yeah, I'm sure with your other many girls" Aria said smiling.

"You know there's only you for me," Channing said with a sheepish grin, grabbing her hand and placing it over his heart.

She just gave him a skeptical look, not believing him. She pulled her hand away and he faked a hurt expression and she shoved his shoulder playfully as he laughed.

"Your dad tells me your car is finally fixed" Channing said as he got up to grab more papers that needed stapling, and then he dropped back down beside her, his leg brushing hers. He gave her a pile to staple.

"Yeah, I'm happy. It's nothing like driving your own car" Aria said as she got up to get more staples for them.

"So, are you still dating that Wes guy from school?" Channing asked curiously, shooting her a glance before grabbing more papers to staple together.

"Yeah, why?" Aria asked as she gave him a look, wanting to know where he was going with this conversation. Not that it was any of his business. "Are you still with little miss sunshine Macy?"

"No reason really, I just wanted to know if you guys were still seeing each other because of that guy I saw you dancing for last Friday night. Who was he? Does he go to school here? I never seen him around here before" Channing said as he grabbed some papers from behind him and started stapling them as she put them in order. "You've never dance like that for me. I'm jealous. And yes, I'm still dating Macy, but we're having major problems. Let's just say she's not you, you're one of a kind Aria. I meant it when I said you're the only one for me. What if I asked you if we could get back together again, we were so good together you and me".

Aria was so put off by his sudden confession, that she didn't realize he kissed her, until he was kissing her for a second time. His mouth urging hers to respond to him. Someone from the doorway cleared their throat and she pushed Channing away from her roughly and looked towards it. If she could have died, then she would have. Standing in the doorway was Mr. Fitz, his eyes looking back and forth between them, until the beautiful blue locked with hers. His mouth was drawn in a tight line and his face was hard to read. She wanted to know what he was thinking, what he thought of her.

She never wanted him to catch her in this situation. Not if it wasn't her own doing. She never even heard the door open. How long had he been watching Channing kissing her? She tried to convey to him with her eyes that it wasn't what it looked like. That she was being honest with him when she told him that there wasn't anything going on with her and Channing anymore. That he had kissed her and that she never once kissed him back. That he was the only man she wanted to be interested in. She waited for any kind of indication that he believed her, but he gave her nothing. He just stared at her with a blank expression. She was shaking her head, feeling angry with herself. Especially at Channing, who was quietly looking at them stare at one another.

Channing got up, but she just remained on the floor, her eyes still locked with Mr. Fitz.

"Can I help you?" Channing asked, looking at him with recognition.

"You could, Professor O'Reilly left some documents for me," Mr. Fitz said as he tore his eyes away from hers and looked at Channing.

"That's right, I'll go get them for you," Channing said as he passed him on his way out the door.

Aria got up slowly, shakily. She could feel his eyes on her. Unknowingly, she bit her bottom lip and his eyes was drawn to it like a moth to a flame. The room was filled with silence, neither one of them talking. She didn't know what to do, so she pulled her hair from the ball and the thick mass came tumbling down. She fingered her hair, her fingers running through the cool strands.

"Aria, are we really going to do this?" Mr. Fitz asked as he pulled his gaze away from her hand as it ran through her hair.

"Do what?" Aria asked, generally confused.

"I think you know," Mr. Fitz said, his eyes coming to clash with hers. They tried to pry into hers, trying to see deep into her soul. "I'm talking about this awkwardness between us. Soon people are bound to find out with the way we're acting".

"I'm giving you what you wanted. You did wanted space, didn't you?" Aria asked, daring him to answer.

When he didn't answer she took that as a good sign, feeling more confident than ever.

"You said it was your duty to teach, and that you couldn't with the way things were between us, so I'm giving you that" Aria stated. "You don't have to worry about me coming on to you again Mr. Fitz".

She wanted a reaction from him, but he didn't give it to her. He just nodded his head, before saying, "I think that's a good decision Aria," Mr. Fitz said as he came more into the classroom, but still kept his distance from her. "I was strongly thinking about leaving Rosewood. Just going back to New York, and teach English at one of their local high schools, but I found that I couldn't do it.

"Why didn't you?" Aria asked as she hugged herself, knowing the answer, but wanting to hear him say it. Her eyes expressing her desire.

"It's too complicated to explain, and it would only serve to make matters worse, but that doesn't matter now" Mr. Fitz said as he waved it off.

"When you walked into the room and saw me and Channing, it wasn't what you thought. He kissed me and not the other way around" Aria explained as her eyes searched his, hoping this time he would say something. Tell her that he believed her.

"You don't have to explain to me Aria, I'm just your teacher" Mr. Fitz said, still not telling her what she wanted to hear.

Now it was her turn to nod.

"We started poetry club yesterday, but you didn't show up and we had a meeting today, but you didn't show up again" Mr. Fitz said as he peered closely at her and questioned her with his eyes. "I'm planning a trip to New York so we could attend a real live poetry session this weekend, and I need to know if you're going".

"If I don't have to work this weekend, then yes I'm going" Aria said as she put her hair back into a ball.

"I'm going to need a definite answer by Friday, because I need to give the principal a head count of who's going" Mr. Fitz said. "I'm hoping you'll come".

"Yeah, okay" Aria replied, not knowing what else to say. Which was a first for her.

"I saw your car in the parking lot as I pulled up" Mr. Fitz said with one of his beautiful smiles. "I'm happy that you got it back".

"Thanks, look I have to go" Aria said dismissively, but it was all part of her strategy. She had to make it seem like she had moved on a little an order to give him that extra shove her way. "Could you tell Channing that I went home?"

"Sure, Mr. Fitz said, the beautiful smile leaving his lips as he watched her leave with sad eyes.

She didn't stick around to decode the expression on his face. She didn't have to, her tactic had worked. She left out the building with a smile playing across her lips. This upcoming weekend had given her the advantage to fully execute her plan. She couldn't believe that she was going to have him all to herself away from Rosewood. Not literally all to herself, but still it would work. She was going to finally get him into bed, either in her hotel room or his. It didn't really matter either way. She could actually taste the excitement.

**I hoped you guys loved this chapter. Please review! And up next Ezra's POV.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**Ezra POV**

Ezra left out his apartment garage and got on the freeway. Nothing could erase what he had done. He headed towards the café downtown, going well over the speed limit. He was in the mood for a Danish and a black coffee. He heard they had the best Danishes that was out of this world. He couldn't face having to look into Jamiee's face. He didn't know how it happened. He just knew that it had. Last night had been more than enjoyable, but for them it had been two entirely different reasons. He couldn't pretend to look into her face, and smile and laugh, or kiss her like everything was okay. When he knew it wasn't. He couldn't pretend like last night had been about her, when it wasn't.

He had been sexually frustrated, and he had the urge to do something about it. Him and Jamiee always had great sex, but last night had been the best sex that he had ever had, and he couldn't just pretend like Aria wasn't a factor, when she was. It was cruel nonetheless. He had never felt so drained in his whole entire life. He had done things to her, had touched her in ways he hadn't done before, and it was all because of Aria, all because of his desire for her. He felt like a first rate asshole. He had taken Jamiee to unknown heights, thinking she was Aria. Took her through uncharted waters.

It was Aria's face he had imagined under him as he thrusted over and over again. Her brown eyes he had stared down into. They had engulfed him completely. Her fingers he had felt digging into his back. Her legs that were wrapped around his waist. Her soft lips that grazed his repeatedly as they moved together. It was like something magical. Her breasts that were flatten against his chest. Her hard nipples that were piercing into his flesh and her inner muscle walls that was gripping him tightly. It was if she was consuming him, softly, but surly, taking him into her body. Every inch of him. He was afraid that he would rip her in two, if he didn't slow down and control himself.

He thought he heard her moans and cries that filled his ears. That he heard her soft pants. It was like sweet music. He never wanted it to end. Flashing red and blue lights pulled him out of his thoughts. He shook his head, and then he pulled over to the side of the road and waited for the approaching officer. The day couldn't get any worse. He laughed with dry humor, then he went through the standard procedure, got handed his ticket, and then he got back on the freeway and headed towards the café.

Ezra parked in front of the café, and then he got out and went inside. He got in line, and then he made his order. He ordered two strawberry Danishes and one black strong coffee with lots of sugar, cream and syrup, and honey. He then moved to the side and allowed the person behind him to make their order. While he waited for his order, he allowed his mind to think about the kiss he had given her. It had been so bone raw. He never meant to assault those beautiful lips of hers, but the emotions he had felt had attacked him from all sides. It was either that emotion felt kiss, or having sex with her up against his car. So he knew that wasn't an option.

He never thought that he was weak, but in that blissful moment he had been. She had told him to stop fighting it, to stop fighting her, and he had, giving into that one moment of paradise. When she had whimpered against his mouth, he had thought that she was going to push him away because he had been so rough and brutal, but she hadn't. She had kissed him back with so much urgency, that her reaction had encouraged him further. He had told her that it had been a mistake, but he had been wrong. How could something that felt so good and felt so right, and was wrong in everyway possible, be considered a mistake? Kissing her had felt like heaven, and he had been happy that she hadn't been frightened by his aggressiveness.

She was the reason why he stayed in Rosewood. His common sense told him to leave and never look back, but he couldn't. He couldn't just go off and leave, because he wouldn't be able to forget her. He couldn't seem to shake her. From out of his life, but especially from out of his dreams. If only she was older, then this wouldn't be so complicated and he could act without it feeling wrong. Fate was truly cruel.

He paid, and then he left out the door and got into his car. He put his coffee into the cup holder and placed the small bag on the seat beside his black leather shoulder bag. That way he didn't have to worry about it tipping over. Then he started the car and headed towards work. Jamiee wasn't accompanying him today. He had no idea what had possessed him to let her come along yesterday, but all he knew was that when she had asked, he hadn't object. He thought that if he had said no, then it would have made her suspicious. It wasn't like he had anything to hide. He knew that nothing else between him and Aria could ever happen.

Ezra had just been thinking about Aria's feelings, something he had wanted to avoid. Which sounded ridiculous, because he was committed to Jamiee, not Aria. He hadn't been blind to her feelings yesterday. He saw how Jamiee's presence affected her. The smile on her pretty face when she walked into the room, and then the next minute it wasn't there anymore. Looking into her eyes had been like looking into a glacier. He hadn't been able to decipher her emotions. Her look had giving him frostbite.

He had made sure not to pay her any attention during class. He was afraid what his looks might reveal to Jamiee. She was really good at reading people. She didn't need to know that he was attracted to one of his students. It would only cause another problem in their relationship. He didn't think he was being deceptive. It wasn't like Aria was the other woman. Not technically speaking anyway.

Ezra parked, and then he got out. He was taking his stuff from out the car when he saw Aria walking with her friends and her boyfriend Wes. He knew that he shouldn't stare, that she would notice him. That anyone would notice him. They only had to look over at him. She looked like the setting sun. He loved the way the sunlight reflected off her dark beautiful hair. Her smile did him in. She had the whitest teeth that he had ever seen. Her head was thrown back. She was laughing at something Wes had said. He loved the sound of her laugh. It rung out across the parking lot like bells chiming. His arms was wrapped around her waist, holding her tight against his side. Like she was his possession and he wanted everyone to know it. She looked away from Wes, and then her eyes connected with his across the parking lot. It was like she had known he had been watching her.

Did she know that he was imaging her while having sex with Jamiee? Did she know it had taken everything in him not to throttle Channing, when he had saw him kissing her? She had told him that there wasn't anything between them, and like a fool he had believed it. Did she know what it had done to him when she had just dismissed him?

She waved at him, drawing her friends and Wes's attention towards him. He waved back, feeling angry with himself, because they had caught him staring. He headed inside the building, feeling her eyes on him. When she had told him that she wasn't going to come on to him anymore, he had felt relieved, but he had also felt anger. A selfish part of him wanted her to keep coming after him. He headed towards the office to check his mailbox, had a conversation with some teachers in the hallway, and then he walked to his class.

He put his things down, and then he walked over to the blackboard to write down the daily objectives, before turning around and facing Aria's empty desk. He had been standing about right here when he had looked up from Jamiee, and caught her looking at them. She had shown vulnerability. She hadn't been scared to show him what she felt when she saw him with Jamiee. He had read hurt, jealousy and anger, and other emotions he hadn't been able to figure out in those smoldering eyes of hers.

Ezra shook his head and sat down at his desk, grabbing the delicious smelling strawberry Danish from out the small bag, and then closing his eyes he bit into the soft pastry. He moaned as if he was eating a work of art, then he took a long sip of coffee from the white and black styrofoam cup, and then he opened his lesson plan book and started flipping through it as he took another bite into his Danish. He was so fixated on his book, his Danish and coffee, that he didn't feel the watching eyes on him, until he looked over towards the door. Aria was leaned against the door fame observing him, her books cradled in her arms. She flipped her hair over her right shoulder as her eyes held his.

"I didn't want to disturb you. I know I'm a few minutes early," Aria said as she came into the room and stood in front of his desk, her eyes roaming over the stuff he had on it. "What are you eating? It smells good".

Her stomach grumbled and they both laughed, their eyes dancing as they gazed into each others eyes.

"I don't mind. I want the company. It's a little quiet in here," Ezra said smiling at her, and then he took another sip of his coffee, before sitting it back down. "I'm having a strawberry Danish, would you like one? I have an extra one".

"If you don't mind, I'm kind of hungry. I didn't eat breakfast this morning," Aria said as she sat her stuff down on the floor, and then she grabbed a chair and pulled it up to the side of his desk.

"Honestly, I don't. I'm pretty full already," Ezra said as he put the Danish on a napkin, and then he pushed it over towards her.

"Thanks," Aria said as she bit into it, her moans of delight making him smile. "This is the best Danish ever".

"You're welcome, and it is" Ezra agreed as he watched her eat. "I definitely plan on buying some more on my way home today. It's actually my first time going to the new café downtown".

"You should really try their Subs, they're scrumptious" Aria said as she took another bite of Danish, her tongue coming out to lick the strawberry goo from the corner of her mouth. "It was my first time trying them last night. Hanna and the other girls and I had a girls night at my house, so we decided to try them".

"I'll be sure to try their Subs then" Ezra promised with a smile as he reached over using his thumb and brushed the corner of her mouth to remove what was left of the strawberry goo, his thumb lingering inches away from her bottom lip. It trembled slightly.

Touching her was a mistake. He knew that now. As she stared into his eyes, he could see the lust swirling in the depths of her brown eyes. He shuddered. Her breath became ragged, her breasts rising and falling. He quickly removed his thumb, and the spark of lust in her eyes vanished as if it had never been there. Her eyes penetrated his. They quietly wanted to know why he had touched her. He didn't really know why he had touched her, all he knew was that he had wanted to. The goo had given him a reason to touch her. The room was so quiet, that nothing but the sound of their breathing and the ticking of the clock could be heard.

"Aria, I think you better get to your seat now," Ezra said thickly.

Her flowery scent and the way she was looking at him made his member jump. It was as through she knew her closeness was driving him crazy.

"Okay, but first…" Aria left off as she leaned across him to grab his cup of coffee, making sure he got a good look down her shirt.

He told himself not to look, but the swell of her creamy breasts was visible. A battle of control wrestled inside of him. He fought hard against it, but his lust won out over his common sense. God, he was going to go straight to hell, and not to mention jail for lusting after her. He wanted to run his fingers lightly across them, stroking her soft skin. He wanted to kiss them, and then he wanted to run his tongue over them, sucking her until she cried out his name. He wanted to hear her say his name. H wanted to hear the name Ezra fall from her lips. He wanted to know how it would sound coming from her lips in the heat of passion.

Ezra finally tore his eyes away from her breasts, and then he looked into her face. She had been watching him silently, his cup of coffee gripped tight in her hand, her face devoid of flirtation and teasing. Her reaching across him wasn't supposed to be seductive, and that's when he knew that she had merely wanted his drink. She wasn't trying to be seductive, or trying to come onto him. He couldn't believe that his mind had played a trick on him. He felt silly. As she got up, the bell rung to begin class, and then she headed to her seat.

When everyone took their seats, he told them to put everything away because he was getting ready to pass out the spelling test. He told them to make sure all cell phones were turned off, and to put them away and anything else that could be a distraction. He told them it was very important that they ace this test. He also told them they could either use a pen or pencil to complete the test, and if they didn't have one, then they were welcome to the ones on his desk. But be sure to return them at the end of class.

He grabbed the test from off his desk, and then he walked around the classroom handing them out. When he got to Aria's desk, he gave her the test, and then he told her good luck. She smiled at him and said thanks. He distributed the last test, and then he went back to sit down at his desk, grabbing the timer to set it. He fiddled with the trinkets on his desk as his eyes wandered around the room, taking in each student. Their faces filled with much needed concentration.

They finally came to rest on Aria, her long hair grazing her test and desk as she bent over. What was it about her that made her special? Made her a sickness to him? She was chewing on her bottom lip as her hands glided across the paper, then she reached down to grab his cup of coffee that she had took from him, and then she put it to her mouth, taking a generous sip before putting it back down on the floor at her feet. The same cup that had touched his lips was now touching hers. He gripped his pen hard as he let his eyes continue to roam over her. He took in how she had her right hand thrusted in between her thighs, how her fingers kept running through her hair, and how her foot tapped soundly against the floor to soundless music.

She was truly a vision to behold. He was just getting ready to turn his head away from her, when she looked up, her eyes colliding with his. He didn't even try to look away. What was the point? Someone was bound to see them, but they didn't seem to care. Her eyes were filled with yearning, yearning that mirrored his own. She looked away focusing back on her test, leaving him to watch her.

The timer went off and he told them to put their pencils and pens down as he went around the room to collect their test. He told them that their project was due next week now, so if the ones that weren't finish could get it done in that extra time. Next he told them to take out their homework from last night, and to then exchange them with the person sitting next to them, then he told them to answer their fifteen questions, and then to staple their answers to the back of them before handing it in at the end of class. He went around the room again, passing out worksheets, and then he told them that it was their homework for tonight, but they had until Friday to turn them in. That it was entirely up to them. When he was done giving out the homework, he sat back down at his desk, and then he began grading their test.

The bell rung to end first period and they gathered their stuff and passed in their papers on the way out the door. Aria was the last person in the room with him. He knew that she wasn't trying to purposely stay behind, but knowing Aria he wasn't so sure. He told himself to focus on grading, and not on how beautiful she looked. She was so popular and all the guys in school wanted her, but she only wanted him. That's what she said to him anyway. He wondered if she would still like him if he was just a student that went here. He didn't think so. Aria was more interested in older guys. He went back to grading, hearing her soft footsteps approaching him. He looked back up when he felt her stop in front of his desk.

"Did you want something?" Ezra asked, still finding it unnerving to stare into those eyes of hers, when he had imagined staring down into the brown orbs last night.

"It's about the test" Aria said as she toyed with a trinket on his desk. "I studied hard for it, and I can't help feeling a little bit nervous".

"I'm certain you did fine Aria," Ezra assured her with a smile, trying to ease her fears.

"How do you know, did you grade my test yet?" Aria asked with anticipation, her eyes glued to his.

"No, but I also know that you're a very smart girl Aria, and that you can do anything if you set your mind to it" Ezra said as his eyes held hers just as tight, the blue embers smiling.

She looked unconvinced, her eyes doubting him. He chuckled at the face she was making, so like a child, but underneath those clothes she was a woman. Not with just her body, but also her maturity. There was nothing child like about her. She was pure woman. A woman he shudder to think could do to him if he let her.

"You should never doubt yourself Aria. I watched you as you took your test. Not just you, but your other classmates as well" Ezra quickly said, catching himself. "And you were the only one that looked at ease".

"I usually don't doubt myself, not if it's something that I really want" Aria said softly, her eyes fluttering up to meet his again.

He just stared at her hard, before swallowing hard and tearing his eyes away. Then he cleared his throat nervously, his hands shaking as he pushed papers away. They were once again treading on a slippery slope. She reached across his desk to place her hand on top of his, and then he inhaled deeply, his eyes flying back to hers. They were thick with lust. He shook his head, and then he moved his hand out from under hers. A brief touch from her sent his urges into overdrive. He got himself under control and pushed thoughts of having sex with her aside. He just wished that he didn't have a conscious in a situation like this. Why did his body ache so badly for her? He knew that he had to get the conversation back on track.

"Did you find out if you have to work this weekend?" Ezra asked as he went back to grading their spelling test, his eyes avoiding hers.

"Yeah, turns out I don't have to work, so that means I'll be able to go," Aria said with a refreshing smile, her eyes holding secrets.

"Well, good. I'm really glad that all the members are able to make the trip" Ezra said with a smile that matched hers. "We're going to have fun, and you guys are going to learn a lot of techniques".

"I'm looking forward to it" Aria said as she headed to the door, her voice holding a meaning he didn't understand. "I'll see you around Mr. Fitz".

She waved, and then she was gone. His eyes staring after her. His brain trying to catch the meaning of what she said, but he gave up after a few minutes when he couldn't figure it out. He got up and prepared for his next class, his mind filled with thoughts of Aria.

Ezra was leaving out the cafeteria, when he passed the empty yearbook staff room. He recalled what happen with him and Aria yesterday. He never felt such pent up lust. He had wanted to explode into a thousand pieces. Both of them had wanted to devour the other. For a moment he had forgotten that they were still in school. That she was still so young. That anyone could have come up on them, and that he had forgotten his morals. Her eyes said one thing, but her body had said another. He saw how she had wanted to give into what was happening between them, but she had held herself back. Which he knew that had to have been hard for her, because she was so impulsive. In those few seconds, he had been willing to risk everything. Everything that mattered to him for few moments of pleasure, and it scared him yet again. He knew that nothing good or would come of him and Aria. That was the way it was. They had so many things against them. They were like two cars in a car wreak, waiting for further destruction.

He headed towards the guys bathroom. It was two bathrooms merged into one. It had two entrances and two exists. He could walk into one bathroom, and then walk right straight into the next one. It was naturally separated by walls, but there was one doorway in the middle connecting both bathrooms. He walked into one of the many stalls, and then after he was done, he went to go wash his hands, hearing voices. He tried to see if he could make out their voices. He knew they couldn't see him, because he was on the other side of the bathroom, and unless they didn't come over to the side he was on, then he couldn't been seen.

Ezra recognized Aria's boyfriend's voice. He was speaking with two other guys. He was thinking they had be friends of his. He was getting ready to leave out the bathroom, when he heard Aria's name mention. His curiosity grounded him in place. Wes told them about him and Aria's little pool session during class hours yesterday. He told them that they were going to the basketball game tonight with a couple of friends of theirs, then they were going to eat out, and then they were going to go back to his place afterwards.

One of the guys asked him if they were going to finally have sex tonight, and he said it was totally up to Aria. That he really wanted to have sex with her, but he wasn't going to rush her if she wasn't ready yet. He said they had came close a few times before, but it was never the right time. The other guy said that he heard around school that she was a virgin and he asked Wes was it true, and Wes said it was. He said that he was happy to be the first guy to be with her. Then one of the guys said that not only was she gorgeous and all the guys wanted her, but she was also a virgin, so that was double the prize. Then they started talking about other things and he left out the bathroom.

Aria was a virgin kept ringing through his head as he walked back to his classroom. That was the only thing that stuck in his head. He had thought that she wasn't one, because of how she had been coming on to him and her actions. She had been so seductive, and so bold him with, when the truth was she was very innocent. What really hit him strong was that she wanted him to be the one to take her virginity. Something that you could never get back, and she wanted him. She needed to have a good experience, or it would turn her away from sex forever and he didn't wantt that to happen. Sex between two people was the most natural and joyous thing, and it created a bond. It was meant to be shared, not to be feared. She didn't need some guy that was going to be selfish, careless, clumsy and rough, or inexperience. She needed someone that would put her needs above his own, someone that had experience , someone that would be gentle with her and someone that would appreciate her body, and someone that would make sure her first time was one to remember. That someone sounded a lot like him, and god he wanted it to be him.

He ran a hand down his face, and then ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. He wanted to be the one that gave her that great experience, but he couldn't be. It was as simple as that. He pushed thoughts of Aria, and her virginity away, and then he started back grading his students test. When he was finish grading his last test for the day, the bell rung and he got up and packed up his belongings, erased the old daily objectives and wrote down the ones for tomorrow, then he left out his door, and then headed towards the teachers faculty meeting in the library, his shoulder bag thrown across his shoulder and his head down. Deep in thought.

After the meeting he walked towards the semi empty parking lot. He was glad that the meeting hadn't ran over. He deposited his things on the passenger seat, and then he started up his car and headed towards the café downtown. He wanted to get more Danishes for him and Jamiee. Instead of going inside this time, he went through the drive-thru. He paid at the window, then the cashier gave him his box, and then he got back on the highway and headed home. The traffic was really thick. He inserted his key into the lock, and then he turned the door knob and went in. He put the box on the counter top, dropping his shoulder bag on the floor. He yelled for Jamiee, and she shouted back from the bedroom. He went to the refrigerator and took out a cold beer, then he uncapped it, and then he took a swallow, before throwing back the rest. He sat down his beer, and then he opened the Danish box and the delicious smell emanated up into his nostrils, teasing his senses. He grabbed one and ate it, taking his time to savor it. Then he grabbed another one, devouring that one as well.

When he was done he walked back to his bedroom. Jamiee was sprawled out across the bed with manuscripts everywhere. She was bent over tying away on her small laptop, her cell phone and the home phone next to her. He watched as her ebony curls brushed the bed. She had a pen in between her teeth, her eyes fixed hard on the computer screen in front of her. Her fingers flew across the keys with ease. She had a half eaten sandwich on the nightstand. It was her favorite. Peanut butter and jelly. He smiled down at her. He didn't won't to hurt her. Her biggest fear was trusting and then getting hurt. It took her a long time to trust and consider dating him.

When she got done with tying what she was typing, she looked up at him and smiled, before jumping off the bed to kiss him, her mouth molding to his. He wrapped his arms around her, bringing her closer to deepen the kiss. As he gaze down into her eyes, a question played in his head. Was he really willing to give her up for one night with Aria? And the answer was no. He couldn't destroy what him and Jamiee had for lust. Was that all he felt for her, just lust? He didn't know. He shook his head, clearing all thoughts of her and only focusing on Jamiee. She pulled back from him, her arms going around his neck. He bent his head to kiss her again and she sighed against his mouth, her fingers trailing through his hair.

"Have you been working all day today?" Ezra asked, his lips against her neck.

"Un huh," Jamiee moaned with a shiver, her fingers tightening in his hair. "I have to if I want to get it all done".

"You need to take a break. You look tired" Ezra said as he held her face in his hands, staring deep into her eyes.

"I know, but some of these manuscripts have a deadline" Jamiee said, smiling up at him. "And I am tired".

"So, take a break" Ezra insisted as his mouth found her collarbone. His mouth giving her light butterfly kisses.

She moaned again, her fingers gripping his shirt.

"How was work?" Jamiee asked, changing the topic.

He looked at her, trying not to get mad and let it show. She had been working nonstop since she got back and he was getting fed up with it. It was like three people were in their relationship. Him, her, and her work. She looked up at him, sensing the anger boiling inside of him.

"Work was fine, but I don't won't to talk about that" Ezra said, trying to disguise the anger in his voice.

She kissed him, saying without words that she didn't won't to fight with him. She sniffed the air, before smiling at him.

"What's that smell?" Jamiee asked, her hand stroking the back of his neck. "What did you buy?"

"I brought some Danishes from that new café downtown" Ezra said, feeling some of the anger leaving him, but not entirely.

"What flavors did you get?" Jamiee asked as she unloosen his tie, and then pulled it from around his neck.

"Apple and strawberry," Ezra said as he grabbed the back of her head, letting his fingers run though the black curls.

She moaned as his fingers massaged her scalp.

"Apple, my favorite" Jamiee said against his lips, before kissing him hard. Her fingers unbuttoning his shirt slowly as his fingers toyed with her jeans, trying to unbutton them. "I think we should discuss this further, don't you?"

"Yes, let's" Ezra said against her ear as his hands finally got her jeans undone. He was reaching down into her panties, when her cell phone rung, interrupting them. "Don't answer it".

"I have to" Jamiee gasped into his mouth as his fingers parted her wet lips, and then one of his fingers teased her swollen clitoris. His fingertip grazing the silky little nub. "Ezra…hmm…I…hmm…have…hmm…to".

"No, you don't" Ezra whispered against her mouth as he started to finger her, his fingers thrusting in and out. He felt her tighten around his fingers. He wanted her to cum for him. "You could just let it ring for once".

" I…can't…could…hmm…be…hmm…important" Jamiee cried out in a tortured voice as his fingers went deeper and deeper inside of her. "I promise to make it up to you".

He blew out a frustrated breath, and then withdrew his wet glistening fingers from out of her. And then without saying anything, he turned around and left out the room, heading for the kitchen. He needed a beer.

Ezra was finishing the last drop of his beer, when Jamiee came into the kitchen. Her arms folded and her facial expression telling him that he wasn't going to like what she was about to say. He shook his head at her, and then he gave her a cold smile as he went to go throw his beer bottle away. He already knew what she was going to say.

"When do you leave?" Ezra asked with anger, his eyes gazing into hers coldly.

"Tomorrow morning, they want me to meet with some new clients" Jamiee said as she watched him. "Please don't be angry. I honestly wouldn't go if it wasn't important".

"I think you would still go," Ezra said, being straight with her. "I 'm starting to think that you love your job more than this relationship. I've been patient with you since you got back, but Jamiee I really don't know".

"Ezra, you know that's not true" Jamiee said angrily as she moved towards him. "I would rather stay here with you more than anything, but I can't. And don't you dare accuse me of that, because I love you, and our relationship. You're what matters to me".

She stroked his face, before wrapping her arms around him. His arms just hung limply at his side, not embracing her back. He couldn't yet. Not until he said what he had to say.

"I love you Jamiee, but there can't be one person in this relationship in order for it to work" Ezra said as he stared down into her misty eyes, before wiping a single tear away with his thumb. "You can't just work all the time and not have anytime for us".

And then he wrapped his arms around her waist, hugging her tightly as he silently rocked her back and forth in his arms.

"I'll get better. I promise" Jamiee promised as she smiled up into his eyes. "And I love you too. So much that it hurts, and I don't want us to be divided. I want us to able to make this work".

She sniffled before kissing him softly on the lips.

"When will you be back?" Ezra asked as his finger played with a lock of her hair.

"Sometime next week, but I don't know the actual day right now," Jamiee quietly said, her nose brushing against his in a playful manner.

He closed his eyes and nodded his head, before reopening them again, pushing back his anger. She saw the hidden anger in his eyes and she put a finger to his lips.

"Let's not argue anymore," Jamiee said as she kissed his lips again, smiling against them. "Let's go out to eat. I was thinking the restaurant La'Ritz. I want to spend as much time with you as possible".

"Okay," Ezra agreed as he pulled her tighter to him, and then he kissed her back hungrily. His hands holding her felt himself swell through his pants, his hard member pushing into her.

"But first let me show you how much you, and this relationship mean to me," Jamiee said as she pulled her lips away from his, and then she grabbed both of his hands and led him back to the cornflower blue eyes glowing sexily at him. His member pounding insanely, wanting to be inside of her wet gates. He wanted to feel her heat surrounding him.

They pulled up at the restaurant, and then they both got out the car and made their way inside. It was full. They had to search around for a table with the waiter's help. He had on a pair of low rise boot cut jeans, with a red, blue and white plaid shirt, and she had on a black thigh length spaghetti strap dress. Her black hair was up into a high ponytail. As they made their way to an empty table by the window, his eyes took in everything, and everyone. They sat down and looked over their menu, trying to see what they wanted to order. While he waited for their orders, the waiter asked them what they wanted to drink, and he ordered them both a raspberry lemonade.

He decided to go ahead and make his order while Jamiee was still deciding on hers. It really was hard deciding, when they had a lot of delicious things on the menu to choose from. He ordered some lobster nachos for their appetizer, a creamy potato bacon soup, and Cajun chicken linguini alfredo pasta with shrimp and lobster for himself. She finally decided and made her order. She ordered a Caesar salad, chicken breast strips with fresh asparagus, and mashed potatoes. The waiter took their menus, and then he told them that he would be back with their drinks shortly, before heading off to put in their order. Soon their drinks arrived along with a basket of biscuits and the lobster nachos. They dug in.

They were eating their full course meal, when Aria and her family came in. She saw him and she smiled, but her smile dropped away as soon as she spotted Jamiee with him. Her eyes watched him the whole time as she made her way to her seat. His eyes ran over her and he swallowed back a groan, nearly choking on his pasta. She looked absolutely beautiful and sexy. He felt as his member was getting ready to burst through his jeans. He wanted to know what she tasted like and what she smelt like. Why was she always torturing him? Knowing that he could never have her. Could never be inside of her. He would never know what it was like to taste her sweetness. To have her juices fill his mouth. To have her taste lingering on his tongue.

She wore a red short dress with ruffles at the bottom with a little black jacket. The dress showed off her long smooth looking legs. They were shining against the glittering lights. Her dress hugged every single curve that she possessed. Her dark long brunette hair was in a side ponytail in ringlets. Some fell behind her back and the others sat on top of her right round breast. The top of her dress was hugging her breasts so tight, that they were squeezed together. They nearly spilt over. They were so creamy and full. His mouth suddenly felt dry. Her lips were painted a frosty red. She had on silver raindrop earrings, that matched her silver open toe heels.

He finally tore his eyes away from her, and then he let his eyes run over her family. Her mother was just as beautiful as she was. She was an older version of Aria. They had the same dark lovely hair, they had the same brown eyes and the same full lips, and they had the same bone structure. It was like looking into a mirror, but in some ways they were also different to. Like their eyes weren't the same shape, their nose wasn't the same size, and their ears were shaped differently. Her father was the same height as him, and he had really light brown hair like his son. He decided to introduce himself to them, so he got up and made his way over to their table. Aria was holding his eyes as he approached her family. He was nervous, but one look into her eyes, and he was fine.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I wanted to introduce myself. I'm Aria's English teacher, Mr. Ezra Fitz" Ezra said as his eyes went around the whole table, before stopping on Mr. Montgomery.

"No, not at all. It's nice to meet you, I'm Byron Montgomery" Byron said as he got up to shake his hand. "We've heard a lot about you".

"Good things I hope" Ezra said smiling, his eyes shooting towards Aria, who was biting her bottom lip, and then she nodded with a little smile.

"Of course, nothing but good things" Byron said, laughing hardily. "I've been wanting to meet you".

"Aria, talks so highly of you Mr. Fitz. I'm Ella by the way," Ella said with a smile as she shook his hand.

"Nice to meet you, and I'm glad" Ezra said as he returned her smile.

"But Aria forgot to mention how young you look" Ella said as her eyes ran over him.

"Well, I just recently graduated, but I am qualified" Ezra said as he smiled at her, his voice suggesting that she shouldn't have any doubts about his teaching capabilities.

"Believe me I don't have any doubts," Ella said as she laughed softly. "The way Aria talks about you, it sounds like you're very well educated.

"I would hope so, or I wouldn't be able to teach the way I do" Ezra said with laughter.

"And Aria's grades show it" Ella said, joining in his laughter.

"No, Aria was way smarter and doing good before I came along" Ezra said, not taking the credit for something he had nothing to do with.

He felt Aria's eyes on him, but he tried not to look at her too much. He didn't won't them to find out that he was attracted to their daughter. He feared that his looks towards her would look more than appropriate.

"I understand that you graduated from Hollis" Byron said. " I'm a English professor there. I know that you also graduated with honors and was your class valedictorian".

"I remember, Aria told me my first day" Ezra said as he nodded his head. "So you do know a little about me".

"Just that, but how about we grab a couple of beers and hangout sometime?" Byron asked as he wrote down his number, and then he gave it to him.

"Definitely," Ezra said as he took the piece of paper with his number on it. "And how about I give you my phone number as well".

He scribbled down his number on a napkin, and then he handed it to him.

"Did you know that we have two openings in our department for next year?" Byron asked him. "Are you thinking about applying for one of the positions?"

"I'm sure Mr. Fitz is fine where he is Byron," Aria said, speaking for the first time since he been at their table. Her eyes leaving his to stare at her father.

He looked away from Aria, before answering the questions. He was surprised they didn't get suspicious, but they probably saw it as a harmless statement from their perspective.

"Yeah, I heard. Professor O'Reilly told me," Ezra said with a nod. "At this point I really can't say for sure, but things can change".

"I'm going to restroom" Aria said quietly as she got up and headed towards the bathroom avoiding his eyes.

His eyes followed her, wanting her to come back. He wanted to see her before he left. He wanted to be able to look into her eyes and dream about her. Was she upset because he was thinking abut leaving the high school? If so, she didn't have to be. He wasn't leaving. At least not anytime soon.

"Mr. Fitz, would you like to join us?" Ella asked.

"No, but thanks. My girlfriend Jamiee is sitting right over there" Ezra said as he pointed towards her. She was looking over at them. A smile on her lips. "It was really nice meeting you".

He shook Byron's hand again before leaving their table.

He paid as Jamiee headed outside to the car. He went to restroom, not really looking where he was going. His mind preoccupied. He was turning the corner, when he bumped into someone, catching the person around the wrist so they wouldn't fall back. He stared down into Aria's relieved eyes. He made sure that she had her balance, before stepping back and letting go of her soft wrist. He felt excitement as he touched her. He felt it coursing through his veins, but he pushed it away. He couldn't lust after her. Not when he just got done speaking to her parents.

"I like your family," Ezra said as he smiled at her. " I'm glad that I got the chance to meet them".

"They seem to like you too. Especially Byron," Aria said as she smiled back at him, her brown eyes shimmering in the glow of the light. "He's never been this excited about one of my teachers".

"I like him as well, and I look forward to hanging out with him sometime" Ezra said, mesmerized by the sparkles in her eyes and the tone of her voice.

"So, I saw that Jamiee's here with you," Aria said casually.

"Yeah, she is" Ezra nodded as he ran a hand through his hair. "She wanted me to bring her here before she left".

"When does she leave?" Aria asked as she folded her arms across her breasts, making them seem even bigger and rounder.

He caught his eyes before they could wander.

"Tomorrow morning," Ezra answered, not hiding the fact that he wasn't happy about it.

"You don't seem to happy about it" Aria commented as she studied his face.

"No, I'm not, but it's done" Ezra said as he rubbed his temples in a soothing matter.

He felt a headache coming on. He still wasn't happy that Jamiee was leaving.

"About what Byron said, about there being two opening positions for the English department" Aria started as she looked into his eyes, showing her vulnerability again. "Are you really going to apply?"

"Aria," Ezra softly said as he searched her eyes, about to tell her what she wanted to hear. He was itching to touch her, but he kept his hands down at his side. "I'm not leaving. At least not yet".

"Good," Aria boldly said, her eyes flooding with happiness as they gazed into his.

He smiled hesitantly, feeling a small twinge in his heart. Something more was happening between them, but it was more than just physical. That much was true. He was still standing a little closely to her, but he couldn't find the strength to move back any further. She still smelled of springtime. Her flowery scent was beating at his defenses.

"Oh, no" Aria said frantically as she looked at her right wrist, and then she looked around herself, gazing behind herself and on the floor.

"What's the matter?" Ezra asked with concern.

"Its my bracelet. I lost it" Aria said, looking panicky as she continued to look around herself. "I remember trying to snap it back when I bumped into you. It was my grandmother's, and the only thing I have left of her".

"Calm down Aria, we're going to find it" Ezra assured her as he looked around as well, before spotting it a few inches away from them.

He went to go get it, and then he made his way back over to her. Her eyes lit up upon seeing it. He snapped it around her wrist carefully, hearing her breathing deeply as his fingers grazed her skin. His breath caught in his throat, and he knew that he shouldn't, but he couldn't help himself. He used two of his fingers to draw feathery circles into her skin and she moaned softly, her skin tingling under his touch. He saw as little goose bumps erupted on her skin. He chose that moment to look up into her eyes, and he felt as time stopped. At that moment it was only him and her. No one else mattered.

They were staring back at him. They were glossy. His eyes dropped down to her frosty red lips, wanting to kiss them, but knowing that he shouldn't. He stared back up into her eyes. His eyes were raging with desire. Filled with uncontrollable lust. Her eyes stared down at his mouth, and then they looked back into his eyes. He could feel the electric current swirling around them. It felt as though it was getting ready to swallow them up. Heard as the fireworks exploded in his ears. He was sinking fast. It was getting so hard for him to breathe. He read in her eyes that she wanted him to give into her, but he couldn't.

"You're so damn beautiful. Did I ever tell you that?" Ezra asked in a whisper, still gazing into her eyes. They were piercing into hers like a blunt object.

He hadn't meant to say it out loud, but it was sort of ripped from his throat. He had been thinking it in his head.

"No, you never" Aria said as she stared at his mouth again, before looking back up into his eyes. Her mouth quivering up into a smile. "Many guys have told me that, but I never believed them until now".

One of his fingers came up to trace her smile, softly brushing back and forth against the smooth texture. Her eyes became liquid under his caress. She sighed contently. He leaned in towards her lips, not caring that they would be caught at any time. But then he stopped himself, anger reflecting in his eyes like blue flames.

"I can't. I can't Aria," Ezra said in anguish, his eyes showing his agony. "I'm afraid if I kiss you, then I wouldn't be able to stop there".

He closed his eyes momentarily as he struggled to regain his composure, and then he turned around and left, not glancing back at her. He still didn't have himself under control when it came to her, and he didn't think he ever would. He never felt such a rush. She was something that he wanted and he knew that he would end up hurting Jamiee to have her. He said that he wouldn't destroy what him and Jamiee had for one night with Aria, but he didn't know if he believed that. It was getting harder and harder to resist her. To deny his urges. He never wanted any woman the way he wanted Aria. He had to have her, but it was impossible. He felt both fear and excitement for their upcoming trip to New York, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something he didn't want to happen was going to happen. He didn't know whether to cancel the trip, or whether to have another teacher go in his place instead. He had a tough decision to make in such a short time.

**So, what did you think? Review me and let me know. I really love reading your comments. I really hope I didn't disappoint you, but instead left you panting for the next chapter. Up next Aria's pov, so yay. **


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

**Aria POV**

Aria ran outside into the freezing rain for the tenth time loading up her car with her suitcases, pillows, and blankets she was taking on the trip. Her hair clung to her like a wet dish rag. It fell into her face, strands sticking to her lips and neck. She still felt the piercing rain droplets as they penetrated her through her red raincoat. They stung like little insect bites. She was so cold that she started to ache everywhere as she headed back into the house to retrieve her last bag. She started shivering uncontrollably, and her teeth started chattering crazily as she loaded the bag into her trunk. Why did it have to rain? She asked no one in sight. That's what she got for not bothering to check the forecast.

Her feet were frozen solid. She had to wiggle her toes to wake them up. Her mind went to Mr. Fitz. The man that turned her insides into jelly. The same man that made her want to do unspeakable things to him and to have him do unspeakable things to her. She had caught him staring at her across the school parking lot Wednesday morning as she walked with her friends and Wes. His blue eyes scanning out details about her. His staring was so obvious, but also reckless. Anyone could have read the hidden desire in his eyes. A teacher or a student. They only had to watch him closely. Read his facial expression and body language. She had drawn attention to him by waving and smiling at him. He had waved back at her, his eyes showing his embarrassment and his anger that was directed at himself. She loved that she was constantly on his mind, but she was becoming too much of a distraction to him. She never wanted him to get into trouble. To have to give up something that he loved doing. She knew that she only had to stop coming on to him, and to walk away from him, but she couldn't. She was just too selfish.

She went to go shut and lock the front door, and then she ran back to her car. She knew what she had been doing when she had decided to go to his class early that morning. It had been another golden opportunity to have some time alone with him. She had watched him quietly as he drank his coffee and ate his Danish, wanting nothing more than to be that Danish he was devouring. To have his teeth biting down on her nipples, then to have his tongue licking a pathway down the valley between her breasts, down to her flat stomach, and then down between her thighs. Next he would open her up like a wildflower, sucking and licking up her wetness before biting down gently on her clitoris.

When he had offered her his second strawberry Danish she had gladly taken it, going weak in the knees when he had touched the corner of her mouth to wipe away the strawberry goo that had filled the Danish. How his thumb had lingered ever so closely to her bottom lip, her tongue desperately wanting to come back out to lick it. He didn't know it yet, but he was slowly making his way to her.

The rain was coming down harder and harder, assaulting her with every droplet that came into contact with her body. She gazed up into the Friday night sky, seeing as the stars glittered against the darkness. They were magnificent, but she had to quit staring at them if she wanted to make the bus in time. The rain was hitting her face as it plummeted down furiously. The steady blowing wind was just as bad. She heard the whistling tearing through the air. The rain ran down her face and neck, heading down to soak her even more. Her fingers and toes grew numb at the rains brutal assault against her person. She was like a helpless lamb being sent to be slaughtered. When she got into her car she turned the heater all the way up, warming the car as well as her aching bones. Her mind going back to the moment when Mr. Fitz had stared down her shirt when she had reached for his cup of coffee. She would never forget the heat in them. The flames of never ending passion that burned within them. He was a man struggling to fight temptation. A man desperately trying to hang onto his sanity.

It had been unintentional. She had watched silently as he struggled not to look at the tops of her swelling breasts, but he eventually lost the battle. She had barley contained herself as she watched the lusty thoughts that played across his chiseled face. Read the sexual things he wanted to do to her in those simmering eyes of his. They had burned with a raw need that only she could satisfy. She had been willing to throw her original plan out the window and just mount him then and there, impaling herself on his dick as she rode him until they both were shattering with an orgasm. She knew that sex between them would be explosive. Explosive hot sweaty sex. She had wanted to feel him thrusting upwards into her sleek walls as she slammed down onto his protruding cock as it went deeper and deeper inside of her cave.

Had wanted to feel his fingers biting into her hips as he gripped and steered her like a horse. She wanted him to make her rain, and then when they were done, she didn't won't to feel her legs. She just wanted to feel his hands all over her. It had been his choice to take her. She had been willing and ready. They could have easily left school and went back to his apartment. She had been dying to have his body covering hers. To have her legs wrapped around his waist. To have her nails raking down his back and his ass as he pumped in and out of her as he sucked on her neck, groaning harshly into her ear.

When she finally stopped shivering, and got her lips to stop quivering, she drove out of her driveway and headed towards school. She drove cautiously. She couldn't see anything as the rain came beating down against her window shield repeatedly. Her mind straying back to the night she had ran into him at La'Ritz. Swooning over the way he had touched her for the second time that day. It was like he couldn't go without touching her. How he had called her beautiful as he gazed into her eyes. The air had been filled with so much sexual energy. How he had fought so hard to resist kissing her. She could tell that he had wanted to, but he had been afraid that he wouldn't be able to stop there. Had seen the agony in his eyes as he left her staring after him. She could tell day by day his resistance was breaking, and that the trip to New York was going to be it. Was going to be when he finally gave in to her, something that they both wanted. She was definitely prepared. She had made sure to take her birth control daily and made sure to pack a box of Trojan condoms.

She finally pulled in the school parking lot, seeing the huge trailway bus, Mr. Fitz car, and a couple of other cars. She drove up next to Mr. Fitz's car, a smile appearing on her lips. He got out, and then he came over to her, instantly getting drenched. She opened her door, and then she got out before he could even reach her car door. Her stomach was in knots. She couldn't believe that she was actually nervous. It was a first for her. She soon was feeling regret as the cold rain tore through her clothes once more to get to the naked parts of her body. Of their own accord, her eyes ran over him. His shirt was stuck to him and his dark hair was matted to his head, rain droplets falling from the tips.

He never looked more beautiful and desirable to her. He was absolutely the most beautiful man that she had ever seen as the rain came beating down on him. She never wanted him as badly as she wanted him now. At this moment in time. She bit down hard on her bottom lip as she felt the familiar tingling in her breasts, her nipples going hard as bricks as they strained against her shirt, looking for a way to break free form their restraints. Felt the never ending aching and throbbing between her thighs everytime she came near him.

Her panties were soaking wet with her dripping cum. She had cum just from looking over him. Felt how sensitive her swollen clitoris was with awareness as it awaited for his long overdue penetration. Her breathing growing shallow. Her brown eyes turning cloudy as though a major storm was getting ready to hit. She was so distracted by the impression of his gorgeous torso that could be seen through the wetness of his shirt, that she didn't realize he was speaking to her until her eyes flitted upwards towards his mouth.

"Aria," Mr. Fitz said as his eyes ran over her face, his eyes remembering what happened between them in the restaurant.

"Mr. Fitz," Aria breath out, watching as the rain ran down his face.

Rain had never looked so good. She wanted to lick the droplets from his face. Not to mention off the other wet parts of his body.

"If you want I could go ahead and put your suitcases in the bottom of the bus "Mr. Fitz offered as he looked towards her trunk. "Some of the other members have already loaded their suitcases on the bus.

"Yeah, sure. Let me just unlock the trunk for you" Aria said smiling as she tore her eyes away from him, and then she walked to the back of her car with him on her heels. "Where are the other members?"

"Some aren't here yet and the others are waiting in their cars" Mr. Fitz informed her as he grabbed her heavy suitcases from the trunk.

"Can we go ahead and get on the bus?" Aria asked as she went to go get her pillows, blankets, and duffel bag from off the backseat.

"Of course," Mr. Fitz said as he smiled at her, her two big suitcases in his hands. "You don't pack light, do you?"

"I'm sorry," Aria apologized as she laughed. "I just wanted to make sure that I didn't forget anything. I could take one if it's a problem for you. I mean they're my suitcases anyway".

"No, it's quite all right" Mr. Fitz said laughing , twinkles appearing in his mystic blue eyes. "I was just joking with you Aria".

She loved the way that he said her name. It gave her chills. She just smiled as she bit her bottom lip. The action drawing his eyes like it always seem to do. The laughter soon died in his throat and the smile left his lips, his eyes going serious as he clenched his jaw, warding off the impending lust that was about to take over him. The change in him was immediate. He took a few steps back from her, feeling self conscious of the watching eyes he knew had to be on them.

"Here come the last of the cars now," Mr. Fitz said as he tore his eyes away from hers, and then he left to go put her suitcases under the bus.

For a minute she just stood there looking after him, a frown apparent on her face. Not caring that the rain was steadily whaling down on her. Her eyes blinded by the fierce rain. She shook her head and shivered, before locking all her car doors, and then she headed towards the bus. Taking her time because she didn't won't to slip and fall down on her ass. She spared him a look just before climbing the steps to get on the bus. A look he didn't return. She blow out an angry breath, climbing the steps all the way. It was so frustrating not having what she wanted. Why was he still resisting her? Why didn't he just take what he wanted?

Aria knew that she had to make a move sooner rather than later. She didn't won't to, but it had to be done. She was the only one to board the bus for now. She walked to the middle of the bus, and then she sat down her blankets and pillows, taking up both seats. She kept her duffel and headed to the very back of the bus. She had to get warm. She was starting to sneeze really bad. She knew that she was taking a risk and that someone could possibly see her, but she didn't care. She quickly discarded the wet clothes that clung to her body like a second skin, standing fully naked. She twisted her long hair and rung out the water, and then she twisted it into a knot at the back of her head. She could hear the many voices getting closer, and heard car doors slamming, but she didn't move any faster. She knew that it was stupid of her to gamble with time. She knew that she could have went into the tiny bathroom, but it was just too small. She didn't feel like bumping into things and hurting herself. She was so occupied, that she didn't hear someone climbing up the steps.

"Aria I…" Mr. Fitz left off as his eyes roamed over her bare back and bare ass.

She turned her head to look over her shoulder at him, a seductive smile playing across her lips. Her brown eyes burning as she saw the unadulterated lust that clouded his eyes as he walked towards her. He walk was very slow and predatory. It was like he was being pulled by an invisible string. Her eyes dropped to the front of his pants, seeing how his cock strained against them. He was very swollen. She wanted to know what it would feel like to have her lips wrapped around him, taking him in and out of her mouth. Her tongue came out to wet her lips. At that moment he was utterly lost as he stopped mere inches away from her. She felt his body heat radiating off of him. It consumed her.

He was too far gone in his desire for her. She read the lost of control in his eyes. She could tell that he was just about done with resisting her. He wasn't thinking anymore. Especially of the consequences. She could see that he wanted to fuck her up against the bathroom door. It was so dangerous to be standing there like this, but it was also electrifying. As much as she wanted him. As much as she needed him, now wasn't the time.

"Could you maybe shield me in case someone comes?" Aria asked all too innocently in a hoarse voice as his eyes came up to catch hers.

Her lips curved into a victory smile.

"Sure," Mr. Fitz said in a croaky voice, his eyes showing his disgust with himself as he turned around to shield her. "I'm sorry. I just don't want to scare you".

"I'm not" Aria said unapologetic as she wiggled into her panties and skinny jeans, before turning around without putting on her bra. She wanted to tease him once more. "And I'm not afraid. I'm not some delicate flower".

He was breathing irregularly. His hand running down his face as he blew out a frustrated breath as he shook his head upon hearing her words. His fingers running roughly through his wet hair.

"Mr. Fitz, look at me" Aria urged softly, her hands on her hips as she watched as he turned back around to look at her.

His eyes full of confusion as he stared down into her eyes, before they dropped towards her full breasts. A groan slipping past his lips as he eyed her hard nipples. She giggled wickedly, her eyes sparkling with life. They seem to expand as his eyes feasted on them. His eyes ran all over her breasts, taking in the size and the shape of them. She saw as his mouth twitched. His eyes were like melton lava as she closed the gap between them. Her chest rising and falling with each draw of her breath. Felt her wetness seeping through her panties. Her wanting eyes saw as he struggled to swallow.

"Touch me," Aria said in a breathy voice as her eyes continued to watch him.

"You know that I can't" Mr. Fitz said as he dragged his eyes away from her breasts. His voice filled with thick lust. "Don't ask that of me Aria".

"If you won't touch me, then I'll touch you," Aria said as she placed her hand on his flat stomach, her hand running over his abs through his wet shirt. "I want you inside of me. I need you so badly".

Her eyes watched as the emotions played across his face. He sucked in a breath as he shuddered, and then he closed his eyes against her touch. She boldly lifted up his shirt and he offered up no resistance, letting her lift the shirt up to his chest. She could scarcely breathe as her eyes took him in. She felt the weight of his eyes as he watched her closely. His hands balled up into fists at his side. He was so gorgeous for words. Never had she known a man to be made so perfectly. It was like he was made by the gods themselves. He was hairless, and his abs were rock hard. She looked up at him just before bending her head to kiss her way up to his chest. Her lips grazing his skin ever so lightly. He tasted so good, her nose inhaling his scent. She could hear him breathing ruggedly as he groaned over and over again, fighting to keep his hands at his side. Where her lips grazed, her hands touched. No place was safe from her. She nipped at his flesh teasingly as he nearly jumped out of his skin. Her tongue licked him and her lips sucked him. He was breathing harder and harder by the second. Her soft moans mingled with his groans. She lifted her head, about to crush her breasts against his bare chest, when he stopped her by grabbing her wrist tightly. She winced from the ironclad grip as she looked up at him from under her long lashes. Her eyes a misty fog of passion.

"God, why must you torture me?" Mr. Fitz asked in a harsh voice as his anger filled eyes bore into hers. "When you know I can't have you".

"You're hurting me," Aria said in a small voice that was laced with pain as she struggled to break free.

The anger in his eyes burned her. She knew that she had gone too far with her games.

"I'm sorry," Mr. Fitz apologized, not realizing that he had gripped her so tight as he released her from his grasp.

"Why must you deny me, deny us?" Aria asked as she held his angry, but conflicted eyes. She was unafraid. She stood defiantly before him. "I want you more than any man I have ever met".

"Because I can't. We can't" Mr. Fitz bit out with anguish as he pulled down his shirt. "Once again I've crossed the line with you. I've allowed you to touch me and kiss me, and I'm ashamed to say I enjoyed every second of it. I can't keep doing this Aria, I just can't. I'm supposed to be your teacher, and you're supposed to be my student. I can't keep permitting this to go on between us. Not to mention I'm in a committed relationship. I can't hurt Jamiee like this".

He turned around, and then he left off the bus, heading back into the freezing rain to help the others load their belongings under the bus. He couldn't get away from her fast enough. She knew that she was driving him insane and that he soon would resent her for it. She didn't won't that at all. She saw the way he had stared so angrily at her. She didn't won't to have to witness the hate that would soon filled them if she kept this up. It was simple. She had to go back to her original plan of him coming to her on his own. She finish getting dress quickly, putting on her bra and a fitted shirt that enhanced her breasts even more. Once again she didn't think. She thought that she was more in control of her impulsiveness now, but that didn't seem to be the case. It still controlled her. She angrily rammed her wet things into her duffel, before walking back to her seat as the others loaded the bus.

A really cute, but nerdy guy sat across from her. He smiled shyly at her before throwing down his bag on his seat, his eyes seeming to recognize her. She smiled back at him. He had the most beautiful sea green eyes that she had ever seen. His hair was a strawberry blond. There was just something about him that seemed familiar. Like she knew him from somewhere. He looked to be about a year older than her. Her eyes must have lingered on him too long, because he looked back at her and smiled again. She blushed, and then she looked away in embarrassment. She thought she heard him laugh, but she wasn't sure. She hoped that he didn't think she was weird. But why did she care about what he thought of her? She didn't know him, and he didn't even know her. That's what she thought anyway.

He soon was forgotten as Mr. Fitz came into view. She couldn't help the automatic smile that came to her lips upon seeing him again. She wasn't going to dwell on how bad it ended between them just a while ago. She was glad to see that he wasn't angry anymore as he talked and smiled with the driver. Her lips tingling from what she had done to him with them. His delicious taste still on her lips and tongue. She could tell that he felt her gaze on him, but he chose to avoid her eyes. She was disappointed to see him sit behind the driver instead of closer to her. She wouldn't have been obvious, or even tried anything that suggested anything other than a normal teacher and student relationship. He avoided any kind of contact with her. The longer she watched him, the more she was hoping for a glance back at her.

As if he couldn't help himself, he turned his head around to look back at her. She leaned her head back against the seat as her eyes held his. They challenged him, saying that he wouldn't be able to fight her forever. That in the end he would indeed give into her, and that afterwards, he wouldn't won't another woman but her. That she was under his skin. That she was in his bloodstream. She watched as his eyes dropped to her lips, remembering how much pleasure they had given him. She smirked as he turned back around before shuddering inwardly. His eyes full of fear, because he knew it was true.

The bus pulled out of the school, and then headed towards the interstate. They were on their way to New York city with a couple of bumps along the way. The bus was filled with a lot of activity going around. Everyone's face was filled with excitement and adventure. She was excited as well. She was getting closer to what she desired. To what her body desired. She looked around at the many fasces surrounding her, their facial expressions expressed many things. Happiness, fear and sadness, and independence. She was thrilled to see that two other teachers had volunteered. Which meant that she could easily get him alone. Just that knowledge alone empowered her. She tore her eyes away to reach up above her to click on her seat warmer. She hugged herself, absent mindedly rubbing her arms to ward off the still present cold that came in through the cracked windows.

"Are you cold?" The guy seating across from her asked with a smile.

"Yeah," Aria said as she nodded her head, not trying to deny it when it was so painfully obvious.

"I have a dry hoodie. Do you want to use it?" He asked as he ransacked his bag that was sitting on the seat next to him.

"Yes, if you're sure you don't mind" Aria said, sounding grateful as she gave him a smile of her own.

She watched him search through his bag for the hoodie.

"I don't" He said as he took out the large green hoodie, and then he handed it to her. "Here".

His hand grazed hers, and she felt the most wonderful sensation. She could tell that he had felt something too, as his green eyes swallowed her brown ones. Or maybe she was imagining it. Suddenly, she felt light headed and her heart started to race really fast as she stared into his captivating eyes. What was it about him that made her heart race? Who was he? Had she met him before? Only Mr. Fitz had this affect on her. She didn't understand. She was confused at her sudden emotions. Who was this stranger? She asked herself once again.

"Thanks," Aria said softly as she tore her eyes away from his as she pulled the hoodie over her head, instantly feeling warm.

"No problem," He said as his lovely eyes ran over her face like a soft winter breeze.

She chose not to look at him, brushing away what she felt as an anxiety. This was the first time since Mr. Fitz, that she didn't mind another guy's eyes on her. His observation wasn't offensive. It was more of a curiosity. Like he wanted to know more about her. Like she was a mystery to him and he wanted to solve her. She felt as his gaze dropped to her body, taking her all in. Measuring her up. Her cheeks flushed as he continued to look over her so intensely. They roamed over every part of her body, mapping out her curves.

Hearing Mr. Fitz's voice in the distance snapped her out of it. Sure the way he looked at her made her hot and excited her, but the way Mr. Fitz looked at her could make her weak in the knees, it made her breathless, and speechless at the sametime. But still, he affected her, and she thought that Mr. Fitz was the only one that could do that. She pulled out her dairy to distract herself from the guy sitting across from her. She hadn't written in it in years, but she felt compelled to now. After they started back. The terrifying dreams that haunted her always, making her remember that fateful night. A night she desperately wanted to forget, but she couldn't seem to be able to. She couldn't get rid of it. She took a deep breath, and then she blocked out everything and everyone around her as her hand glided across the paper in a frenzy as she wrote down her thoughts. She could hear them as though they were being spoken outloud.

_Dear diary,_

_It's funny that I'm writing in you again when I said that I wouldn't. It's funny how fate decides for us, by taking the decision from out of our hands. I tried to forget. I willed myself to forget, but I can't. These dreams have started again. The dreams I thought I'd buried a long time ago was resurfacing again. They are more realer than ever. I thought if we didn't mention it, or speak her name, that it would all just go away, but I was wrong. How foolish I was. I wake up in the middle of the night screaming, because the dreams are so real. I keep reliving them over and over again in my head. I hear the footsteps of Byron and Ella as they race down the hallway towards my room, their faces full of concern for me, but I tell them that I'm fine and to go back to bed. Some nights I try to hold back my screams by biting down hard on my bottom lip, causing blood to flow into my mouth as I rock myself back and forth. Always wiping away the hot salty tears that stain my cheeks. I can vividly see the fire surrounding me as tears coursed down my face in a heavy flow. It calls to me, but I don't listen. I cover my ears to block out its urging. I'm waiting for her. I'm always waiting for her. I know that she hears my cries. See the flames rising higher and higher, reaching a dangerous peak. Feeling the hot blaze on my skin as I look around frantically for a way out. Feeling the roar of the flames lashing out at me. Then I see her face. So like mines, but just reaching maturity. Her golden blonde hair falling down around her face and shoulders. Fear in her deep brown eyes as she lay eyes on me. I can feel the strength of her love as she wraps me tight in her arms as she carries me out of the bed of flames. But more and more flames are surrounding us at ever turn. There's simply no way out. I continue to cry, but she tells me that everything is going to be all right and I believe her. I can still hear the high pitches of her screams as they are ripped from out of her throat to pierce the night air. Arms are holding me, but I fight them wildly, trying to get to her. I hear the agonizing screams and cries from Ella as she holds on to my Aunt Cersei. I see as Byron is filled with anguish as he goes about leaving destruction in his wake as he shouts his frustrations. I want to go to them, but I'm numb with guilt._

Aria sat down her pen as she stopped writing, and then she leaned her head back against the seat, still absorbed in her own thoughts. She could feel the forming of tears threatening to fall, but she pushes them back. I'm so sorry Caroline, she whispered quietly in her head. It's all my fault. You were the moon of my heart, and I was the stars in your eyes.

"You don't remember me, do you?" The guy sitting across from her said as he brought her out of her thoughts. "Because I sure do remember you".

She looked more closely at him.

"Your eyes look familiar, but other than that I can't place you" Aria said as she looked into his eyes, feeling another set of eyes on them.

"It's Adam Bailey," Adam said as he waited for her to catch up. "Lauren Bailey's obnoxious older brother. You guys were in kindergarten together on up to eight grade before we moved to live with our mother and her new husband".

Adam Bailey, her first real crush. She had been so shy around him, following him with hers eyes when she didn't think he was looking. He used to pull her hair and tease her a lot. He had made her so mad. She even remember this one time when he had called her ugly, and she had gone to Lauren bawling her eyes out as she had called him every vile name in the book. She had said that her brother was such a liar, because on numerous occasions he had called her pretty when she wasn't around. That had made her day. As they got older she started to notice how he would look at her for long periods of time. How his rude behavior towards her had changed as well. She remembered experiencing her first real signs of jealousy when he had brought home his first girlfriend.

"Yeah, that's right. You were a horrible bother and a horrible person. I still remember the types of things you said and did to me," Aria said as she laughed. "You and Lauren both moved back here?"

"I was young, and plus I was an idiot" Adam said laughing good naturedly. "And it's just me. I'm living back with my dad, but Lauren is still living with my mother and her new family in California".

"I really would love to call her and catch up. Do you think you could give me her number?" Aria asked as she saw as Mr. Fitz watched them secretly, his face a blank. She knew that it bothered him. Even though his face was a blank stare, his eyes were very telling. "So, you're a senior now huh?"

"Sure, I'm sure she would love to hear from you. You guys were really close after all. And yep, I'm a senior this year" Adam said with a beautiful grin that made her inner palms sweat.

"Any plans for college?" Aria asked out of curiosity.

"Do you want to sit with me so we can talk a little better without having to basically yell across the seats?" Adam asked her as he put his bag onto the floor, and then he pushed it under the seat. "And I was thinking between Princeton, or Yale, but I don't know. I could chose to go to Hollis to be closer to my dad".

"I don't know. Are you going to pull my hair?" Aria asked playfully, laughing as she got up to go sit beside him. "And those are some great choices. I want to go to Hollis myself".

"You know I totally wasn't thinking about it until you brought it up" Adam said smiling sluggishly. "Oh yeah?" I've toured the campus already. I know that your father is one of the professors there. "What do you want to major in?"

"English, What about you?" Aria asked as she watched as Mr. Fitz walked up and down the aisle, but never once coming towards her.

She couldn't help the sadness that washed over her. Her eyes watching everything he did. They watched as he talked with the other teachers, the bus driver, and the other club members. He felt her eyes on him, his eyes coming to clash with hers. Neither one of them looked away. She smiled softly, expressing everything she felt into it. She heard Adam say he was majoring in forensics, but she never broke her eyes away from Mr. Fitz. He had all her attention. His eyes suddenly flickered over towards Adam, and his nostrils flared. His mouth was drawn into a tight line. She was wondering why he was looking over at Adam, when she felt her hair tumbling down her shoulders from out of its knot. Felt as gentle, but foreign fingers ran through the still damp strands. Her eyes locked with Adam's as she felt excitement soaring through her body from his touch. His eyes mirroring a tidal wave as he stared into her eyes.

"You've always had such beautiful hair" Adam said softly, almost in a low whisper as his fingers stilled in her thick mass of hair.

"Was that why you always enjoyed pulling it?" Aria asked with a humorous laugh.

He gave a low chuckle, before saying, "I liked you, didn't you know?"

She looked cynical like she didn't believe him.

"Well, you had a funny way of showing it" Aria said, smiling with amusement as she nudged him with her elbow.

"I was a dick at best, but I did like you" Adam said with absolute honesty as he laughed. "I still like you, but I know that you have a boyfriend".

"You totally were" Aria said with a smile on her face, her eyes full of laughter as they held his. "But I do have a boyfriend".

She looked away from him, her eyes catching Mr. Fitz eyes still on them. The smile died on her lips as she saw the pained expression on his beautiful face as he watched her with Adam. She knew to him that her and Adam looked a little too cozy. She shook her head to remove his hand from her hair, and then she used her hands to twist it back into a knot. He realized that she was watching him, and he pasted a smile on his face, before turning around going back to his seat.

"So, are you working?" Aria asked as she looked back at him, changing the topic to a safer discussion.

"Yeah, I work at Barney's local supermarket just a few minutes from town" Adam said, not seeming to mind that she changed the subject. "Where do you work?"

"At the local book rack. I love it there" Aria said with a smile in her voice.

After five hours in, her and Adam chatted for a little more, and then she went back to her own seat. She wrapped a blanket around herself, and then she placed a fluffy pillow behind her head as she looked out the window as the heavy rain was slacking off. So many thoughts plagued her mind. She was simply lost. She knew without a doubt that she wanted Mr. Fitz, but she hadn't count on her old feelings for Adam to reawaken again when she saw him. The beating against the window was soothing as her eyes fluttered closed. She didn't know how long she had slept for, but when she had woken they were at a rest area. There were no other cars around in sight, but their bus. Everyone got off the bus. On her way off she handed Adam back his green hoodie, but he told her to keep it. As she followed him off the bus, her fingers intentionally ran across Mr. Fitz hand as he stood by his seat, monitoring as the other members got off the bus. His eyes flew to hers, the impact causing her to feel a bubbly sensation in the pit of her stomach. She wanted him all over again as his eyes stared so intently into hers. Tearing her eyes away, she left before she could draw any attention to them.

Aria headed to the restroom. She was happy that it had finally stopped raining. Her shoes stepping into the pools of water that was mixed with mud as she got on the pathway and made her way up the small hill to get to the restroom. It was really dark, but she was thankful for the lights that illuminated the way. She could hear the sounds of the crickets, the croaking of the frogs, and the hooting of the owls filling the night with sound. Not to mention the sounds of the wolves howling. She didn't know why all rest areas had to be surrounded by wooded areas. She just hoped that they stay hidden.

She used the bathroom, and then she walked to the sink to wash her hands, peeking into the mirror to look at her reflection. She pinched both cheeks after splashing some water onto her face. She dried her hands and patted her face, and then she left out the restroom. She got in line to get a couple of snacks and sodas from out the vending machines, before stuffing the items into her handbag, and then she headed back onto the bus. She got on the bus, seeing only Mr. Fitz. He looked up at her, and then he looked back down again as he told the person on the phone that he loved them, before hanging up. She felt a raw burning in her chest. Of course he loved her. She walked softly towards him, stopping when she got to his seat.

"Was that Jamiee?" Aria quietly asked, already knowing that it was as her eyes searched his.

That still didn't stop the burning pain in her chest. She knew he was in love with Jamiee when she had started pursing him. So why did that bother her now?

"Yes, I told her of our progress" Mr. Fitz said as he nodded his head, his tongue coming out to lick his lips.

"Here's a peace offering," Aria said as she reached down into her handbag to hand him a bag of potato chips and a soda, not wanting to hear anymore about his girlfriend. "Are you still angry with me?"

"Thanks, and I shouldn't be angry with you Aria, when I myself allowed you" Mr. Fitz said as he looked up at her, his hands idly playing with the soda that sat on his lap.

"Is that such a bad thing?" Aria asked as she sat down across from him, turning fully to face him. Her right leg going under her butt to rest.

"You know that it is" Mr. Fitz said as something on the floor caught his eye. It was a book. Her open leather-bound diary as a matter of fact. "What's this?"

She knew that she should have said something. That she should have stopped him, but she didn't. She watched as his eyes scanned the pages, and then he looked back up at her, his eyes filled with a lot of questions and confusion. He was waiting for her to say something. To say anything, but when she didn't, he asked.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Mr. Fitz asked with concern, his eyes peering deep into hers, hoping that she would open up to him.

"Talk about what? There's nothing to talk about" Aria lied as she took her diary from him. "They're just random thoughts is all".

His eyebrows raised with skepticism, not believing her for a second. She couldn't fool him. He looked upset that she wouldn't confide in him. She wanted to tell him, but she just couldn't right now. She couldn't bear to speak the words right now. To relive the most horrifying moment in her life. She would tell him when she was ready to talk about it.

"Okay, but just know that I'm here when you're ready to talk about it" Mr. Fitz said as his hand caressed the side of her face, before dropping back down at his side.

She nodded, wanting to feel his gentle hand again on her face. All she wanted to do was breakdown and cry, and to have him hold her in his arms.

"I want to know more about you Mr. Fitz," Aria said, having a deep aching to know him completely as she moved the attention from her to focus on him.

He looked hesitant at first, but then he finally said,

"What is it that you want to know Aria?" Mr. Fitz said, before opening his soda and then he took a generous sip, his eyes coming back to look into her face.

"How many women have you been involved with in your whole entire life?" Aria asked as she tore open her bag of chips. "And you can ask me anything as well".

If he was surprised by her question he didn't show it.

"Including Jamiee, four relationships" Mr. Fitz said as he popped some potato chips into his mouth.

"No way," Aria said laughing as she shook her head in disbelief.

"What, you don't believe me?" Mr. Fitz asked smiling as he licked his lips again.

"No, I don't" Aria said smiling as she drank some of her orange soda, feeling the soda bubbles tingling the inside of her nose.

"Why don't you believe me?" Mr. Fitz asked her as he took a swallow of his Cola, and then popping more chips into his mouth, munching as he smiled that beautiful smile of his.

"Mr. Fitz, you're the most beautiful man that I have ever met" Aria said in a breathless whisper as she chewed on her bottom lip. "And here I thought that you had a been with a million women".

"I'm very flattered Aria, but I'm no stud" Mr. Fitz said with a smile. "My turn. How many guys have you been involved with?"

"A total of six," Aria said as she tore open her small pack of cookies, and then offering some to him.

"And how many of them were older guys?" Mr. Fitz asked as he took two vanilla creme cookies from out her pack.

"Just two of them. Scott, and Channing," Aria said, before covering her mouth with her hand as she belched. "Okay, my turn again. Who was your first girlfriend?"

"Her name was Elizabeth Rose," Mr. Fitz recited as he took another sip of his Cola. "We were reading buddies".

"Elizabeth Rose, really?" Aria asked, laughing hard as she held her stomach.

"Her name was weird, but she had the most lovely reddish brown hair and electric blue eyes I have ever seen" Mr. Fitz said, laughing hard as well. "What was the name of your first boyfriend?"

"His name was Josh Blake. We went to kindergarten together" Aria said, reminiscing. "It was so sweet really. We ate lunch and snack together, we held hands a lot, we played together all the time, and we even slept beside each other on a mat. What's your most rememberable kiss?"

She watched as he thought for a minute.

"I'll say daring to kiss the girl that I had the hugest crush on in eight grade" Mr. Fitz said as he balled up his empty potato chip bag. "How about you?"

"The night outside the campus bar when you kissed me for the first time" Aria said smiling as she held his eyes with such extremity. She was literally afraid that they would engulf the bus in flames as they stared heatedly into each other eyes. Lost in some sort of enchantment. She could tell that he wanted to kiss her. That he ached to kiss her lips, but he held himself from doing so . With each second that passed, his look was getting hotter and hotter. His eyes practically ripping her clothes off. "I could never forget that moment. That one time you completely surrendered to me".

He cleared his throat as he looked away from her, gazing down at the soda can in his lap.

"I'm sure you had other rememberable kisses" Mr. Fitz said hoarsely as he looked back at her.

"No, they fail in comparison" Aria said, wanting to get up and straddle him, but she knew that she couldn't if she didn't won't him to push her away, or hate her. She decided to move onto another question. "How old are you Mr. Fitz? I've never asked you that before".

"How old do you think I look?" Mr. Fitz asked her, his eyes smiling brightly.

"You're 23 years old" Aria said, sounding confident that she was right.

"Close, but I'm 24 years old" Mr. Fitz said as he corrected her. "What's one thing you would love to do in the whole wide world?"

"I would love to travel. I mean I've traveled to a couple of places before. To Iceland, Paris and Russia, Canada, and Italy," Aria said as her eyes lit up as she remembered. "There is still some places I want to see. There is a whole world waiting to be explored. What about you, have you traveled?"

"I've traveled a bit myself too. I went to Iceland as well, went backpacking across Europe, visited some of the monuments and museums in Venice and I toured some of the Greek mythology spots, and ate in the finest restaurants in Greece, and I visited some of the famous spots and pubs in England "Mr. Fitz said as he listed off the places he's been.

"Wow," Aria whistled, sounding impress with the places that he visited. "I would love to go to Venice and Greece".

"They were truly beautiful places to visit, and they were my favorite places to enjoy" Mr. Fitz said, a smile in his voice like he was back visiting those two places in his mind. "I better go round everyone up so we can be in New York by morning".

Aria watched as he got up and stretched as he yawned loudly, his shirt rising to reveal his mouth watering abs to her. She groaned, forgetting to stifle it with her hand. Her eyes rising to his as he stared down at her, giving her a hard blazing look and she returned it. She stood up, their bodies a few centimeters apart. He was slowly shaking his head to warn her off, silently telling her to keep her distance. That he wouldn't be able to stop what came next, but she wasn't going to touch him, or come any closer. She wanted him to come to her. He had to come to her.

"Do you want me Mr. Fitz? Do you want to sleep with me? I know that you want to" Aria said seductively as she seduced him with her eyes, smiling sexily a him. She was full of confidence. She oozed it. The magnetic pull between them was stronger than ever. "I know that you dream about how it will be between us, imagining it in your head how it would feel to be inside of me". She saw as his eyes dilated as they drunk hers hungrily. "Thrusting into me again and again as I cry out your name in ecstasy. I know that you think about me constantly, because I think about you too. You want me as much as I want you. I won't push you. I want you to come to me. I need you. I have to have you".

Mr. Fitz hypnotizing blue eyes burned brighter than ever as he bent his head down towards her lips, but he stopped as they heard voices reaching the bus. They both jumped back from each other as they heard footsteps boarding the bus. She quickly grabbed her things, and then she headed back to her seat just as the others appeared on the bus. Mr. Fitz still stood in the middle of the bus as people pushed passed him, still looking disconcert. She leaned her head back as she closed her eyes, blowing out a shaky breath. Her head spinning.

**Sorry for the long wait guys, but there you go. I really hope you enjoyed it as much as I loved writing it. I especially hoped you liked the little twist I threw in with Aria. So, it seems like Aria's first crush has re-entered the picture lol. But anyway, please review! I love reading you guys comments, and seeing that you're enjoying the story as much as me. Thanks for that :). Ezra's POV is up next, so yay I can't wait to start writing that now.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

**Ezra POV**

Ezra woke up as he read a sign that said they were entering New York City. He stretched lazily as he rubbed the sleep from out of his eyes, yawning as he glanced around. He felt like he was coming home again. He yawned again, running a hand across his stubble. He needed to shave as soon as they got to the hotel. The sun was shining brighter than ever through the windows as the sun rays blinded him with their harsh glare. He reached down into his travel bag, and then he put on his black sunshades to shield his already sensitive eyes. He ran a hand through his frizzy hair as he leaned over to consult with the bus driver. He said that they would be arriving at the hotel in a couple of hours.

He sat back down, pulling out his cell phone to call the hotel to secure their reservations for two full nights. They were staying at the Clifton tower hotel. It was pretty decent enough. It had multiple restaurants, shopping centers, a souvenir shop, a movie theater, an internet café, it had an indoor rock climbing place, an arcade, an indoor water world for people that like to swim, a skating rink and bowling alley, and a hair and nail salon. Not to mention poetry jam was just across the street, and just a few miles down was a huge museum and a park that had street vendors. He made sure he had researched the location and places thoroughly.

Everytime he closed his eyes he saw her. He couldn't escape the image that plagued his mind. Everytime he closed his eyes he saw Aria naked. Her skin had been so flawless. Her skin had been so rich and creamy. Her butt so round and smooth. He groaned with frustration, shaking his head. She had looked even more breathtaking to him without any clothes on. God, how she had stood so strong and naked, her eyes and lips taunting him. It had been like gazing at a Greek goddess on Mount Olympus. Did she know that she drove him insane with want? That he couldn't go a second without thinking about her? Touching her? Did she know that he had to have her as well? That he wanted to be inside of her pulsating love garden more than life itself? He had to be inside of her hot smoldering heat, thrusting into her as deeply as he could go as he brought her to the brink of madness as she came fiercely and hard as her body convulsed. Squeezing him until she milked him dry.

He had been ridiculously hard as he stared down her hour glass frame, his throbbing member begging to be let free. It wanted to penetrate the barrier that proved her innocence. To knock up against her inner walls repeatedly, and to tease her swollen hard point as he thrusted upward into her. He had seen the way those deep chocolate eyes of hers had dropped to the front of his pants, his member swelling even greater than before. He had feared his control. He had felt it slipping away. It had been all so easy to give in. At that moment he hadn't cared about the consequences. Hadn't cared about them getting caught as long as he got to be inside of her. He didn't just want to fuck her. He wanted to make love to her too. He shook his head angrily, feeling disgusted and irritated with himself all over again. The image of her naked form imbedded in his head forever.

The way she had teased him into looking at her beautiful creamy breasts. He licked his lips even now just thinking about them. About how they looked so perfect. They had been round and big as they set on top of her chest, a full cup size. He had wanted to take them into his hands, squeezing and caressing them, while his thumbs brushed across her nipples, pinching them with just the right amount of pressure. Her dark erect nipples were meant for suckling. He had wanted them to fill his mouth as he devoured them feverishly. She was a wicked, but sexy creature. He loved how she was so confident with her sexuality. How she knew that he wanted her to the point of madness, and how she was determined to make him want her, but she didn't have to try. He already wanted her. Needed her so badly. He also loved how she was confident in knowing him better than he knew himself. She knew that he couldn't resist her forever. Knew that he would eventually come to her on his own, and knew that he wouldn't won't another woman after he had a taste of her. He felt like he was tangled up in a web of desire.

How she had tortured him sweetly with her luscious lips, her soft wonderful tongue, and her pure set of gorgeous white teeth as she kissed, licked and sucked, and nibbled on his chest and abs. He groaned once more, running rough fingers through his hair. She was killing him, wearing him down. He didn't know if he could withstand the temptation any longer. If he was honest with himself, then he would admit the thought that had been festering in the back of his head. That he wanted to stop resisting her. He had fought so hard within himself not to touch her. Not to threw her up against the bathroom door and thrust up into her. To fuck her until she trembled in his arms as her body spasm over and over again with her orgasm. He didn't want her first time to be like that. He wanted her first time to be in a bed. If he was to sleep with her, then he didn't won't to be so overcome with lust. He wanted to give her as much pleasure as possible to make her first time enjoyable and not so painful, but he couldn't do that if he lost control completely.

What was wrong with him? Ezra asked himself with a frustrating breath. He couldn't sleep with her, because he couldn't have her. And that fact infuriated him. It seem like he had to remind himself of that everyday. He had to stay in control. He just couldn't lose control again. He had to keep her at arms length. He had to disconnect himself from the lust he felt for her. He knew it would be hard, but he was willing to at least try. For his relationship with Jamiee, for Aria's innocence and his job, and for anything, or anyone else that would be affected.

He hated himself for grabbing her wrist so cruelly, and then getting angry with her. He couldn't stand to see any kind of pain in her big beautiful brown eyes. It was stupid of him to be angry with Aria, when he allowed her to be so inappropriate with him. The blame laid entirely on him. He was just as much at fault. She couldn't do anything he didn't won't, unless he allowed her. He ran a hand down his face in irritation, silently cursing himself senseless for letting it get too far. He was the worlds biggest jackass. He knew what was happening between them was wrong, but instead he indulged in it anyway. All the while loving the ego stroke she gave him. Hearing the way his kisses affected her, hearing how beautiful she thought he was, and seeing how his smiles and the way he looked at her had this crazy incredible pull on her. In his mind he wanted to believe that he could stop her if he really wanted to, but he was selfish enough to admit that he didn't want't to. As weird and possessive as it might sound, he wanted Aria to belong to him, and only him.

But she was too young to be involve with him. Even if he was single she was still too young to be in a committed relationship with him. He was way older than her. He would only limit her. She had her whole life still in front of her. Maybe he was just being modest. It was true that he didn't want to hurt Jamiee, but he also didn't want to hurt Aria either. He would be a real bastard if he was to just take her virginity, and then disregard her afterwards. Aria may think she just wanted sex from him, but he knew differently. There could never just be no strings attached sex. She didn't know it yet, but down the line she was going to catch deep feelings for him. Feelings he wouldn't be able to return. It was just extreme lust between them now. He didn't love her, and she didn't love him.

He was just protecting her as well as himself. She was so full of life now, and he didn't want to see that spirit of hers diminish because of something he caused. He wish to god that he could see her as a child, but he couldn't. No matter how much he wished it. He ran an aggressive hand through his hair as he tried to make sense of everything. To prevent him from crossing that line of no turning back. He had crossed so many lines already. A part of him wanted to be inside of her. To take what she had been offering him, but another part of himself felt sick and disgusted at his own weakness and behavior. He shook his head. The first chance he got he was going to call Reed. He was the only one that could keep him from doing something stupid. He felt a lot better just at the thought. He allowed himself to relax his tense muscles, his hand smoothing out the tension in his neck. He massaged his temples, before getting up, holding onto the seat to keep his balance as the bus switched lanes.

Ezra walked to the back of the bus, using each seat to steady himself as the bus bounced along. He had to use the bathroom, his eyes seeking Aria out as he passed her seat, but he didn't see her. All he saw was an empty seat, the only things that occupied it were her belongings. He looked around with confusion, before finally spotting her sleeping form snuggled up with Adam's. Her head was resting on his shoulder, and his face was in her gorgeous dark hair. The same beautiful hair he had caught him running his fingers through last night. He mouth twitched slightly. He didn't like the way that he touched Aria, or the way that he looked at her either. He felt the same familiar burning jealousy surging throughout entire body at seeing them together. He wanted to yank Adam up by his throat, but he suppress that impulse easily. He kept forgetting that Aria wasn't his. She could never be. She didn't belong to him. You couldn't tell by his facial expression, but he was seething inside. He moved along before anyone had a chance to see him staring, dragging his blue flaming eyes away from the sleeping pair.

The instant rush of hurt was excruciating. It nearly crippled him, experiencing a sharp pain in his chest as he closed the bathroom door behind him. Maybe it was for the best that she was drawn to him. Even if it was hard for him to admit it, but she wasn't his girlfriend. Nor was she anything to him. Maybe now she would stop pursuing him. That thought alone left a bad taste in his mouth. She had made him notice her. From that very first look between them she had enticed him. Adam was around her age. She could be with him without it causing a whole lot of controversy. He wasn't blind. He saw that she responded differently with Adam, than she did with Wes. He saw the way that she looked at him, the way that she talked and laughed him with, and the way that she smiled at him. Like they were old time friends that had history.

Last night when he had watched them interacting, he had found himself questioning himself, pondering over it again and again in his mind. Was she still physically attracted to him? Did she still want him? Did he still have a chance? Did she enjoy his touches more? Did he affected her more? Did his stares stir up all kinds of emotions inside of her like his did. Did his smiles have her pulse racing like his did? Did she fine him more attractive? Was being with him less complicated? Did her body want him the way that hers wanted his? Did he make her wet and swollen? Was her pursuing him just some kind of phase she was going through? These questions drilled into his mind. Answers he wanted to know. Answers he needed to know for his own sanity.

He knew that he would have to compete with him if he wanted Aria. If he wanted to be the first to taste her goodies. To fill her up to the hilt with his throbbing cock as she begged and screamed for more as he thrusted deep into her heated forest. What was he saying? He asked himself as he threw some cold water onto his scorching face. He just knew that he didn't won't Aria sleeping with Wes, or with Adam. He wanted to be the one to sleep with her, but he knew that couldn't happen. Not because of her, but because of him. Because he wouldn't let it happen. It couldn't happen. They could never give in to each other. No matter how much they both might want to. He didn't want to sleep her, and then just regret it the next minute. He didn't want to tarnish her first time with that. Especially if he told her it was a mistake.

Ezra washed his hands, and then he left out the bathroom, feeling a pair of soft fingers engulfing his as he walked back to his seat. He stopped, and then he looked down at the source. Aria smiled up into his face, her face still lined with sleep. He caught his breath as he stared down into her beautiful morning face. Her fingers grasping his tightly. She looked all too cute with her messy hair falling out of its knot, coming down to sweep her shoulders and back. His eyes pulled away from hers to eye a still sleeping Adam, before looking up to make sure that no one was watching them. They were all asleep except for the bus driver, whose eyes studied the road in front of him with avid attention. He let his eyes fall back down on her, fighting the urge to stroke her hand. She mouthed morning to him, before biting her bottom lip. His eyes were glued to her mouth as it curved into a lewd smile. Her kissable lips were a tangy orange as her tongue came out to wet her lips just for him . He shook himself inwardly, before shaking his fingers free from hers, and then he walked back to his seat. He told himself not to look back at her. To just keep walking. For once he was happy to see that he took his own advice.

When they got to the enormous hotel, they unloaded the bus, and then they all headed inside to pay for their reservations with a lot of ohhing and ahhing from the club members. Their eyes taking in everything as they spun around as they walked, their mouths gaped open. They got a lost a couple of times trying to find the front desk. He finally asked for directions from a visiting tourist. He registered them, and then he paid for their rooms, making sure they had the many rooms they required. He along with the other two teachers distributed out the room keys. They were all staying on the third floor. He had made sure to get everyone on the same floor. He thought that it made it more easier on him to maintain, and to keep track of everyone.

He told everyone, excluding the teachers and the bus driver that some of them would be sharing rooms, but that others would have their own room. He said that they weren't to leave out of the hotel unless one of the teachers were with them. That they were to keep their cell phones on them at all times. That they were to stick in huge groups. That no one was allowed to go off on their own unless they were accompanied by one of the teachers. That if they happen to ever get lost to go immediately to the front desk and ask for help. He told them to spend their money wisely, and to keep it safely on them at all times. He told them that they weren't to talk to any strangers, or to go off with them for any apparent reason. He said that if they needed to get up with one of the teachers for anything, then they needed to either ring their hotel room, stop by their room, or to call them on their cell phone. He told them that they were to eat before they went off to the first poetry session.

Lastly, as he looked around at the many anxious faces, he said that everyone was to meet back here at the front desk at 5 o'clock so they all could go across the street to poetry jam together. He also told them that this trip was meant for them to gain some experience, but that it was also meant for them to have fun and enjoy themselves. He dismissed the large group when he was done speaking, and then he watched as everyone scattered off in different directions. He watched with a calm composure as Adam pulled Aria along with him, her head swinging around to glance back at him. He felt as the hurt and anger bubbled up inside of him once more, but he kept it at bay, his face empty of any emotion. He was glad that he had dark sunshades covering his eyes. Her eyes telling him that she really wanted to go off with him instead, before she tore her eyes away from his, and then she turned her head back around to go off with him. Her hand being held by his.

Ezra stared until they had gone from his sight, his ringing cell phone bringing him out of his thoughts as he walked towards the elevator with his small travel bag and suitcase.

"What?" Ezra asked irritably into the receiver.

He knew that wasn't how he should have answered his phone, but he was beyond aggravated.

"Ezra, is anything wrong?" Jamiee asked him with concern hinted in her voice as she heard the obvious irritation in his voice.

"I just have a lot of thing on my mind" Ezra said, being partly truthful as he blew out a breath. "And plus I'm tired".

He took off his sunshades and hooked them to his shirt, before rubbing his eyes as he got on the elevator, his finger pressing in the number three button for the third floor. The hotel had a total of ten floors. Not being able to have Aria, and wondering what her and Adam might be doing made him frustrated and short-tempered. He had to get a grip on himself. He stood back as the doors closed, hearing the ding as the elevator ascended up. He used his other hand to massage the back of his neck.

"What's bothering you, do you want to talk about it?" Jamiee asked, prying to see what was brothering him like any normal girlfriend would. "Are you guys in New York yet? Do you want me to come see you? I have two meetings today with clients, but I can either push them back, or I can get someone else to cover for me".

"It's nothing major really. I'm stressed from planning this trip that's all" Ezra said as he gave a little laugh for her benefit. "We just got here a few moments ago, and I would love for you to come over, but I wouldn't won't you to lose two very important clients over me being stress. And, I think I'm just going to hop into the shower, and then I'm going to take a little nap before we head over across the street for our very first poetry session".

"Are you sure?" I don't mind pushing these meetings back, or getting someone else to handle them for me. I told you once before that you're what's important to me Ezra. Even if it's something simple as stress" Jamiee insisted. "And I want to see you. At least once when you're here".

He closed his eyes briefly, before opening them back up again, releasing another breath of air as he shook his head to clear it. He couldn't believe that he was letting Aria come in between them, letting his lust for her affect his relationship with Jamiee. He had vowed to never cheat on any of his girlfriends', but he was doing exactly that. Still, he wasn't physically cheating, but he was emotionally cheating, and that was the worst form of cheating. He wanted to get her out of his head, but he couldn't. Aria wouldn't let him. She had gotten under his skin. Inside of his bloodstream without him knowing. Eventually, one of them was going to be hurt by his actions, or maybe even both of them were going to be hurt. He just knew that he strongly wanted to avoid that.

"I'm positive. Otherwise I wouldn't be much company to you" Ezra said as he stepped off the elevator, and then he headed down the hall towards his hotel room, occasionally glancing down at the room key in his hand to see what number he was searching for. "You can come by tomorrow and we can have lunch together and spend sometime together before we head back to Rosewood".

Ezra knew that the best thing for him was having Jamiee here with him so he wouldn't do anything with Aria, and so that it would keep his mind off of her as well.

"Even better," Jamiee said as he heard the smile in her voice. "Hey, I love you".

"I love you too," Ezra said as he pressed the end button on his phone.

He inserted his key card, and then he opened the door and went in. A wave of freshness meeting his nose as he looked around the big spacious room, his keen eyes taking in every detail of the room. He had a king size bed, he had two couches, a table, a TV, a microwave and a refrigerator, a mini bar, an ironing board with an iron, two dressers, a desk, a nice size closet, and a big bathroom with both a shower and a bathtub that complemented the room. He threw his bag and suitcase down onto the bed, and then he unpacked his clothing and personal items. After he was done he pulled out his cell phone, unsuccessfully trying to reach Reed, but he never got through to him. He tried for a few more minutes, before finally deciding to try him later. He then grabbed his stuff, and then he headed off into the massive bathroom. He was going to take a very long hot shower.

Ezra ran his hands through his wet hair as he threw his head back, the hot soothing water cascading down his face and body like gentle hands. The shower felt incredible. Just what he really needed. He felt all the pent up frustration leave his body. He braced his palms up against the shower wall as he bent his head down, letting the water flow down his back and ass as it washed off the soap suds. He let his mind travel. Thinking back to when he had read that disturbing passage in Aria's diary. He was confused as ever. There was so many questions he wanted to ask her, but he couldn't get her to talk to him about it. He had grown upset that she wouldn't confide in him. He knew that he had to be patient with her, that she would talk to him eventually about it. It was obviously a traumatic experience that she went through. He felt helpless, because she wouldn't allow him in. Share what was hurting her still. He couldn't help her if she didn't share some of her burden with him. Let him share some of that pain she carried inside.

This was his first time dealing with a lost Aria. He had always known her to be the confident Aria. Never once had she brought this up with him. Not even that time when he had driven her home, and he had opened up to her about his parents dying when he was young. Even when she talked about her family. She still didn't bring it up. It was like she wanted to block it all out. Forget that the girl had ever existed in her life. It was just too painful for her to talk about it. To relive it in her mind. He got that. He understood that perfectly. From what he gathered by reading it was that when she had been really young she must have gotten trapped in a fire, and the person. Either her older sister, or her older cousin perished in that same fire after getting her to safety. He had told her that whenever she was ready o talk, that he would be there to listen. He knew what it was like first hand to lose someone that you loved.

He finished rinsing himself off, and then he stepped out of the shower. Then he grabbed a terry cloth, and then he wrapped it around his waist, grabbing another one to towel dry his hair, before walking over to the sink to trim his hair and to shave the stubble off of his face. He left out the bathroom, and then he walked over to the mini bar to pour himself a glass of Scotch from out the crystal decanter. He tossed it back, grimacing as the age of the alcohol burned the back of his throat. He poured himself another glass, before tossing his terry cloth from around his waist as he stepped into his briefs. He had personally requested that a mini bar that was stocked with Scotch and cases of beer be in his room for an additional price. He drank the last swallow of his Scotch, before he sat down the empty glass.

Ezra stood there in the middle of the room, his mind flashing back to when she had asked him if he had wanted her. His member heavy and hard as it strained against the front of his briefs, swollen to capacity. He groaned deep in his throat, the noise sounding animalistic as he remembered the scene in his head. She asked if he had wanted to sleep with her, then she had said that she knew that he wanted to. The seduction in her eyes had been so overpowering, luring him to commit the ultimate sin. Her luscious lips smiling so sexily at him. Her body standing just a few centimeters from his. He had silently told her to keep her distance, because he was slowly losing control again. She had been so full confidence. He had felt it rolling off of her. She had said that he had dreamt about it. That he had imagined it, and she had been right. That he had imagined how it would feel to be inside of her, thrusting into her as she called out his name in sweet ecstasy. He had been so aroused, that he had feared for her safety.

She knew just wanted to say to him. Knew just how to look at him. She had said that he had thought about her constantly, and that also had been true. She was stuck in his mind forever. She had said that she thought about him constantly too. She had said that she wouldn't push him. That she wanted him to come to her. That she needed him. That she had to have him. Her words spoken so sexually, dripping with fiery promise. He had only wanted to kiss her. To touch her lips with his. To crush her body against his. But all that had been a lie. He had really wanted to fuck her hard. To love her until his cum was dripping from out of her. He groaned again as he shook his head with such force, trying to erase the scene from out of his head. He felt like he was going crazy.

He shook his head for a second time, then he pulled a red jersey polo shirt over his head, and then he put a pair of low rise jeans on, before sitting down on the edge of the bed to put on a pair of black sandals. He pocketed his key card, wallet, and cell phone, before leaving out the door. He was closing his door, when he came face to face with the object of his distraction. His mouth hanging wide open with shock, as her burning brown eyes lit up triumphantly that they had adjoining rooms. It was like the odds were against him. Like they wanted him to give in. Her eyes ran over him, not hiding her desire for him. The sparkles in her eyes growing brighter and brighter with something planned. All he could do was stare back at her as the initial shock wore off. He was leaving out of his room, and she was going into hers. She was opening her smiling mouth up to say something to him, but they were interrupted by some club members heading to their rooms. He decided to leave before they could be left alone again, walking off towards the elevator. He wasn't going to risk that chance. He was already tempted enough.

He glanced down at his watch to see that he had a lot of spare time to blow. When he got to the ground floor, he headed in the direction of the front desk. He wanted a tour guide of the hotel, so that he would be able to maneuver his way around without having to get lost again. Feeling more confident that he could easily find his way now that he had the map, he started to explore the different shops. The souvenir shop, eyeing the many wonderful trinket they had. He brought an antique clock and some postcards, and then he visited the little book shop on the corner, reading through the different titles, before deciding to buy three paperback novels to keep him occupied the rest of the trip, and on the long drive back to Rosewood. Next he went to the men's clothing store that was across from the book shop. He brought three pairs of jeans and a couple of shirts, before heading to the men's shoe store next door, buying two pairs of shoes. Time was passing by fast as he went to go store his new items back in his hotel room, and then he headed back down to the ground floor to meet up with Mr. Wallace, and Mrs. Baker. They were the other two teachers that had accompanied him on the trip. They were all going to the movie theater to see Transformers 3.

Ezra was going into Joey's pizza parlor, when he spotted Aria with a group of club members. Their eyes collided across the room as though they were connected. Drawn there by some force of nature. He felt the sexual pull towards her, but he fought against it. He was betrayed by his own eyes as they roamed over her body leisurely. She had showered and changed from the last time he saw her. He felt himself getting an erection over her simple outfit. She wore a yellow tank top with black words on the front that said girls are yummy, a pair of tight fitted low rise jeans, and a pair of black flipflops on her feet. Her long hair was pulled to the back with a black ribbon. Her fingernails and toenails were painted in a sparkly black, and her lips were a frosty pink. He gave her an inviting smile, before he tore his eyes away, going up to the counter to make his order. He knew that he was asking for trouble. He ordered a large pepperoni pizza, mild wings and breadsticks, and a 2liter Pepsi to go. He felt as Aria entered as he paid for his food. He found a table and sat down as he waited for his food, very much aware that she was following him. She sat down at his table, a fragrance of wet kisses lingered with her. It was more intoxicating than her flowery scent. He looked into her eyes as she looked into his. He could never get over how beautiful she was. She chewed on her bottom lip before she spoke.

"Finally, I have you all to myself," Aria said as she smiled teasingly at him. "I've been wanting to talk to you all day".

He smiled nervously.

"I don't think it's such a great idea for us to be alone Aria," Ezra said, as he stared deep into her eyes, his voice under control as he fiddled with the little number ticket in his hands.

"Why? We're not technically alone" Aria said, pretending to be clueless as she batty her long black lashes at him naïvely.

"You know why. We can't control ourselves when we're alone together" Ezra said huskily as he looked away from her.

He was really trying, but she was making it so difficult for him.

"What if I promise to be a good girl. I won't touch, or kiss you. Not unless you touch, or kiss me," Aria said smiling, drawing his eyes back to hers. "I meant it when I said I wanted you to come to me Mr. Fitz".

He didn't believe her, and the look must have showed on his face.

"You don't believe me?" Aria asked with one of her famous sexy laughs. "I'm deeply offended Mr. Fitz".

She gave another sexy laugh as she faked being hurt. Her doe like eyes staring into his.

"No," Ezra said bluntly as his number was called to get his food. He got up with Aria by his side. "Have you eaten?"

"I haven't" Aria said as she grabbed the Pepsi from off the counter.

"Do you want to join me in my hotel room?" Ezra asked, mentally kicking himself as he grabbed the big pizza box, the wings, and the breadstick box. He was asking for even more trouble by inviting her up into his room. "I have enough for a whole army".

"I could eat" Aria said with a smile as she walked with him out of the parlor. "I haven't had anything since those snacks last night".

"Let's get you fed then," Ezra said smiling as he got onto the elevator.

When they had made it to their floor, he told her his key card was in his pocket as they got to his room, so she reached down into his pocket to retrieve it. They had ate half of the pepperoni pizza, when they both pushed their plates aside and decided that they were full. He poured some more Pepsi into her glass, and then he got up to grab himself a cold beer from the refrigerator.

"I'm guessing pepperoni is your favorite pizza" Aria said, putting her glass to her lips.

"Yeah, it is. I'm assuming I made a pig out of myself" Ezra said with laughter as he took a sip of his beer.

"I thought it was cute" Aria said, her eyes smiling.

"What's your favorite pizza?" Ezra asked as he took another sip from his bottle.

"I love Chicken and Italian sausage pizza" Aria said as she sat down her full glass of untouched soda. "Those chicken wings were really good. What kind were they?"

"I think they were ranch" Ezra said as he double checked the box. "You ate them all by yourself".

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't have just one. They were so, so good" Aria said laughing. "I didn't know you drank".

"I think they would have been too much on my stomach anyway. I do drank, but not on a regular basis" Ezra said as he looked down at the half empty bottle in his hand. "I'm not some roaring alcoholic if that's what you think".

"I didn't think that about you at all" Aria said softly, her intense eyes holding his, before she eventually looked away. "Do you smoke as well?"

"No, I tried one cigarette once when I was a teenager, but I didn't like it. I didn't see the appeal of it" Ezra said, before drowning the rest of the beer. "So, you and Adam. Do you guys know each other?"

He saw as a little smirk tugged at her lips at his inquiry. He could tell that she loved that he asked about Adam.

"I was really good friends with his sister when we were younger, but he was a nightmare to be around" Aria said, smiling at the memory. "In fact, he was my first real crush".

Now he understood. A person never really got over their first crush.

"Did he like you too? Of course he did" Ezra said with bitterness, before mustering it with a laugh as he got up to throw away his beer bottle. "You're a very beautiful girl Aria, he would have been blind not to notice".

She watched him quietly, reading him before answering,

"I didn't know until he told me on the bus last night" Aria said truthfully, still looking at him closely.

"Do you still like him?" Ezra asked, wanting to really know how she felt about Adam now.

"I felt my old feelings for him resurfacing again when I met him last night" Aria said carefully as her eyes pierced his. "But honestly, I don't want him. I want you".

He just continued to stare into her brown eyes, feeling the change in the atmosphere around them. Heading to a place that they couldn't go again. The intensity cracking like a sharp whip. For a second, he thought he heard their hearts beating in sync. He saw the lust in her warm eyes, and he knew that his own eyes reflected it. Finally, he broke eye contact, reaching into his pocket to take out his wallet, and then he took out a small photo that had grown old with age. He pushed it over towards her, waiting for her reaction. She recovered, before glancing down at it. Her face still looking flustered with just a hint of lust tinting her eyes. Now was the right time to approach the topic.

"Are these your parents?" Aria asked in a whispery voice, her voice still thick with want. She looked back at him, her face expressing that she was happy that he was sharing this with her. "Wow, your mother was really beautiful. You look just like her. Especially your blue eyes, and your dad was very handsome. Now I know how you got your good looks".

She laughed with so much richness, that he wanted to kiss her. To touch her. To be with her. He smiled at her.

"Yes, that's Michael, and Lillian Fitz," Ezra said as he nodded his head, waiting for her to bring up that passage in her diary, but she didn't. Maybe he had been wrong to bring it up right now. He swallowed back his impatience as he looked down at his watch. "It's time for us to leave".

It was well after 10 o'clock when they got back in. He bid Aria a goodnight at her room door, wanting to follow her inside, but he knew the rules. He knew the consequences. He locked the connecting door leading to her room when he got inside his own room. It was more of a caution for himself, than it was for her. He didn't completely trust himself not to enter her room, or for her to enter his room. He needed a secured barrier between them. He discarded the clothes he had on, and then he put on his pajama pants. He headed into the bathroom to wash his face and brush his teeth. The night had been eventful. He had forgotten how exciting it was to watch the many different talented people taking the stage and reading their poems. He could tell that the club members had enjoyed it. It made him feel proud, knowing that he could give them this once in a lifetime experience. He wiped his mouth, and then rubbed his face dry, before leaving out the bathroom. He flicked off the light, before pulling back the cozy comforter and getting into bed. He snuggled deep into the covers, and then he was dead to the world.

He woke to loud screams. Aria's loud screams. He heard her broken cries as he hopped out of bed as though someone had lit a match under him, his eyes wide open as he pushed back the covers restricting him. He didn't even bother with putting on a shirt as he unlocked and burst through the connecting door. The only thing on his mind was getting to Aria. Her cries and screams affected him greatly. The need to protect her was strong. He saw that she was thrashing about fiercely as he made it through her door, her hair wild against the pillows. He made it to her, shaking her body gently as he called her name over and over again. He held her body close to his as her eyes finally fluttered open to stare at him.

The tears in her beautiful eyes tugging at his heart. Was it more than lust he felt for her? He pushed the long curtain of hair back from her face as heavy tears flowed down her face. He wiped them away as he rocked her body with his, telling her that everything was going to be okay. That she was safe in his arms now. That nothing was going to touch her. He kissed her head as her arms wrapped around his neck. Her face buried deep in his neck as the tears continued to fall down her cheeks, her hot tears soaking him, but he didn't mind as he rubbed her back. She snuggled closer to him. Time seem to pass as her tears slowed. She was able to breathe normally again. She had calmed down enough for him to ask questions.

"Aria, what's wrong?" Ezra asked her in a soothing tone as he kissed her head again.

She just shook her head with hard jerks as more tears spilt from out of her eyes. He lifted her carefully up into her arms and carried her back to his room, knowing that it was a bad idea, and that he would regret it. He sat her down on his bed, and then he went over to his mini bar to pour her a glass of Scotch to calm her nerves. He then handed her the glass, urging her to drank it. She started to cough harshly after she took a couple of sips, and he patted her back as he took the glass from her. He put the glass away, and then he got on the bed with her, lying back with her cuddled up next to his side. Her arm draped across his chest, and her leg thrown over his. Even though they were lying intimately close, it wasn't sexual feelings he was having towards her right now. It was needing to get to the source of the problem. He just wanted to comfort her. That's all he kept saying in his head.

"You want to talk about it?" Ezra asked her as his arms tighten around her small frame.

"I can't escape them…no matter how much I try" Aria said in a tired voice against his chest as she rubbed her remaining tears away. "I just want to forget altogether".

"It would help if you could talk about it. To relive what you don't won't to remember" Ezra said against her head.

"I know I have to, but it's too painful. I feel so much guilt" Aria said through her fresh tears as she brushed them away furiously. "Did you know I had an older sister?"

"It's going to be tough, but you have to talk about it. It's the only way for you to heal" Ezra said, stroking her arm. "I didn't know that. What was her name?"

"Her name was Caroline. She was so beautiful. She had the most beautiful golden blonde hair that I had ever seen. I always used to twirl my little fingers around it" Aria said, smiling through her tears. "She was the moon of my heart, and I was the stars in her eyes".

"I bet she wasn't beautiful than you," Ezra said as he smiled against the softness of her hair, inhaling the scented soap that she showered in.

"But she was. I was always so secretly jealous of her, fearing that I wouldn't look as beautiful when I grew up" Aria said as she brushed more of her tears away. "If only I hadn't cry over that stupid stuffed animal, then she wouldn't have gone back in the fire".

"What happened?" Ezra asked, wanting her to talk more about it.

"They said that it was an electrical wire that caused the fire. I only remember waking up coughing, because of the fumes of the smoke. It was so thick, that I could hardly see anything in front of me. The fire was everywhere as I made my way downstairs. It was so hot, that I actually could feel the blaze of the flames on my skin. And then… I got trapped. I never felt so scared in my whole entire life. I thought I was going to die, and it made me panic, so I started crying really bad. I tried so hard to find a way out, but I couldn't. I didn't have to. Caroline came for me and she found us a way out through the raging fire, and then she carried me out to safety" Aria recounted in a foggy voice through her tears. "Then I had to cry for my favorite stuffed bunny that I dropped when she was carrying me out and I wouldn't stop crying, so she went back in to get it for me. She knew that I loved it, but she didn't have to go back inside to get it. So, you see it's my fault she died".

"I'm truly sorry Aria, but you can't blame yourself. It's not your fault" Ezra said, trying to make her see reason. "It's no ones fault. It was just a tragic accident".

"It's my fault don't you see! She would still be alive if it wasn't for me! This should be her life, and not mines. She died so young and terribly. She missed out on everything, because of me. Her first boyfriend, experiencing her first real kiss, losing her virginity, graduating from high school and going off to college, finding love, and then getting married and having a family of her own" Aria said with anguish. "Byron and Ella blame themselves for going off and leaving her in charge, but I blame myself".

"No, I don't see. Look at me," Ezra said as he lifted her chin so that she was looking into his face. "It's not your fault. You hear me, it's not your fault Aria, so stop blaming yourself for something you had no control over".

And then he kissed her. Not because she wanted him to, but because he wanted to make her pain go away. To make her stop blaming herself. To make her focus on the here and now. His mouth was glued to hers aggressively as he pushed his tongue into her mouth and she moaned as her own tongue responded to his. He pulled back, seeing the daze look in her eyes. She leaned over him as she straddled him, her thighs on either side of him as he gripped her waist. She grinded herself on him as his member sprung to life as she rocked on him moaning as she kisses him, their kiss turning passionate and explosive. He heard the rush of his blood flowing to his ears. Heard the sounds of their heavy breathing. He groans into her mouth, before breaking off their kiss as his hands stops her movement on him. His hand coming up to hold her hair back from her face as he stares up into her eyes. He wanted to sleep with her. He could tell that she knew it to. She smiled seductively down into his face as she leaned down to kiss him again, but this time she kissed him more slow and hard as his fingers tighten in her hair, and then he breaks off the kiss again, remembering her age and his relationship with Jamiee as he lifted her off of him. He got up off the bed, his back facing her as his hand run through his hair as he got himself under control.

"Mr. Fitz, I want you. I want you to sleep with me," Aria said in a panting voice as he turned back around to face her. He knew that he shouldn't. She was sitting on her knees as she pulled her mini t-shirt over her head, then she reached her hands around her back to unhook her bra, letting it fall away, and then she stood up to pull down her boy shorts along with her panties. "I'm not going to come to you. I want you to come to me".

He eyes memorized her body. The same prefect creamy breasts with the dark nipples. Her flat tummy with the strawberry birth mark. The curve of her hips, and the dark hair between her thighs. She was pure sex. She was beyond gorgeous. He grew harder and harder as he eyes strayed back to her face, his eyes filled with raw needy lust. She only laughed as she tormented him with her nakedness. She knew it, and he knew it. He was going to sleep with her. He would worry about the consequences later. He was going to go to her. He was done with denying himself the forbidden fruit that was her. Done with fighting the lust he felt for her. Aria wasn't some naive girl. She knew exactly what she was getting into. What she was clearing asking for. To be fucked hard and good, but he was going to make love to her.

She got back on the bed and laid down as he walked towards her. There was no turning back from the line he was about to cross. He got on top of her as she opened her legs to allow him between them. He felt the hot heat emitting from her as he brushed her lips with his, before kissing her without holding anything back. He held off on pressing his erection into her. She was gasping as he moved down her body to cup her right breast in his hand, his tongue coming out to lick the dark hard nipple before sucking it. He released the saliva soaked nipple to cup her left breast, flickering it with his tongue, before sucking on it as she arched herself into his mouth. Her moaning driving him more crazed with want. He left her nipple to kiss his way down to her naval, kissing the small red shaped birth mark, before licking his way down to her thighs.

Aria sat up on her elbows to watch him as he parted her thighs apart, licking his lips as he eyed her swollen wet pussy lips. She screamed as he spreaded her folds aside to see the hard pink clitoris. They shared a sex filled look as he bent his head back down. He started licking and sucking her, sucking on her clitoris as it got harder and harder as her moaning got louder and louder. She tasted so damn good. Just like butterscotch candy. Her wonderful smell filling his nostrils. She started circling her hips in a grinding motion as her fingers entwined themselves into his hair. He groaned as he licked her faster, wanting her to cum. He flicked his tongue against her clitoris, increasing the sensitivity and pleasure she felt as she gripped the bed sheets. Soft cries falling from her lips as he started to thrust his tongue in and out of her, trying to go as deep as possible.

The more her body shook, the faster he licked and sucked her. She worked her hips faster as he stimulated her with his tongue. He thrusted faster and faster as she threw her head back, her hands nearly ripping the sheets from the mattress. She got wetter and wetter as he worked his tongue in and out of her. She started yelling loudly as he felt her getting ready to cum, her inner walls tightening up around his moving tongue. He sped up his licking as she erupted violently into his mouth. He didn't stop his tongue movement until she rode out every bit of her orgasm. He licked up and swallowed every ounce of her sweet cum juice. Her body being hit with spasm after spasm as her earsplitting screams threaten to wake up the whole hotel. She grabbed him to her, kissing him in a frenzy fever, moaning as she tasted herself on his lips.

"Wow," Aria said hoarsely against his mouth as she smiled, before biting her bottom lip. "It felt like I died".

He smiled as he stood up to take off his pajama pants, and then he kicked them aside with his foot. He heard her harsh in take of breath as her eyes ran over his throbbing member that protruded out in front of him. She gave him one of her wicked smiles, before reaching out a hand to stroke him, her hand wrapping around his whole cock. He shuddered from her touch. He groaned loud as he threw his head back, his eyes closing as she stroked him faster. The more she stroked him, the larger he became. He feared that he wouldn't be able to fit inside of her. He was going to cum if she didn't stop. He opened his eyes to see that she was watching him, enjoying the fact that she was giving him such pleasure. She squeezed him gently, making all the blood rush to his tip to make it appear fatter. He growled as he felt the tension building up inside of him as her hand moved up and down his dick. She moaned, getting as much pleasure as he was. Finally, he had enough of her teasing and he knocked her hand away, before climbing on top of her.

"Aria, you're a virgin aren't you?" Ezra asked her with croakiness in his voice as he stared down into her eyes.

For one second he read confusion in her eyes. Like she didn't remember mentioning it to him. He clearly saw the questions in her eyes. How did he know? She thought she had been carefully not to seem virginal. What had given her away? He could tell that she knew from staring up into his eyes that he already knew that she was a virgin, but he just wanted to hear it from her.

"How did you know, because I never told you?" Aria asked in a scratchy voice.

He chose not the answer her question.

"Then you should know that the first time is always painful, but I'll give you as much pleasure as possible" Ezra said, giving her a way out of what they were about to do. "You can never get this moment back".

"I know all of that, but I still want this. I still want you," Aria said in a determined voice, not backing out of sleeping with him. "I vowed to have you be my first from the first moment I laid eyes on you".

"Do you want this?" Ezra asked, he had to be sure. "I don't want to hurt you Aria".

"Yes," Aria said breathlessly.

"Even with knowing the consequences?" Ezra asked, giving her another chance to back out.

"I'm a big girl. I know what I want" Aria said as she grabbed his member and put it at her dripping wet entrance.

He pushed himself into her slowly, groaning before plunging himself deep inside of her, destroying the virgin barrier that proved her innocence. She winced out in pain as she wrapped her ankles around his waist, her fingernails raking down his back. He stayed absolute still, letting her adjust to his great size, her eyes filled with agonizing pain as her nails dug into his skin. He knew he was going to have marks left on his back in the morning. She felt so good. So soakin wet and tight. He kissed her, drawing her mind away from the pain as he started thrusting into her. She was kissing him back, moaning against his lips as her hips moved upwards to meet his thrusts. She moaned as he thrusted deeper and deeper inside of her, filling her to the max everytime. He pulled out, and then he thrusted back in, causing her to scream as her ankles tighten around his waist.

She thrusted her tongue into his mouth, her tongue massaging his as she squeezed her inner walls around him, causing him to groan and grip the headboard above her head with one hand. She kissed his neck, her tongue licking up the beads of sweat that broke out on his neck. One of her hands gripped his waist as he pulled all the way out of her again, before thrusting back into her as cries were ripped from her throat. Over and over he plunged into her, hearing her soft pants in his ears. He sped up their rhythm as he kissed her scorching mouth as he thrusted harder and harder into her. Her hips rising and falling to the rhythmic beat as their sweaty bodies clung together. He pinched her nipples, squeezing them between his thumb and forefinger as she gasped from the pain and pleasure. He bent his head to suck on them, tugging them between his teeth as her hands gripped his ass. In and out he thrusted as their groans and moans reached a high fever pitch, his eyes gazing into hers.

Ezra cupped her breast, squeezing and molding it, his thumb brushing against the hard nipple repeatedly. He moved to mold and massage her other breast, his thumb brushing the nipple. His mouth found hers again, their tongues licking and teasing each other as he thrusted into her endlessly, her body being lifted off the bed each time. She screamed over and over again as she sped up her upward thrusting, taking him deeper and deeper inside of her. He reached under her thighs to bring her even more closer to him as he pumped into her wet tight pussy. Their heavy breathing, and panting coming out in broken sounds. He told himself to slow down. To make sure to give her a lot of pleasure. Over and over she squeezed her inner muscle walls around him, driving his cock even further inside of her as she moaned over and over, her fingers raking down his ass.

Deeper and deeper he went. The harder and harder he drove into her the wetter she became. Never had he felt such bliss from bring inside of any woman. Her head thrashing back and forth as her hand grasped the pillow behind her head for support as the big bed squeaked under their fierce loving. She tried to close her eyes, but he wouldn't let her. He wanted her to watch him. He wanted to see the look in her eyes when she cum. Her opened mouth gasping as he slammed her body into his member, intensifying their sensation. His hand supporting her back as her hand pressed up against his sweaty chest, her fingers trailing down to his abs. He felt her walls tightening on their own. Felt her body starting to shake uncontrollably as he started thrusting vigorously into her, swallowing more and more of her screams with his mouth. She bit down hard on his shoulder as the pleasure became to unbearable and he grunted against the sweet pain.

He felt himself cumming, but he bit his lip to hold off on his orgasm. He had forgotten to put on a condom. He couldn't cum inside of her. No matter how much he wanted to. She was too young. He couldn't risk the chance of getting her pregnant. He couldn't believe that he had been so irresponsible to forget something as important as that. His only thought was being inside of her. He went faster and faster to speed up her upcoming orgasm, hitting just the right spot to make her cum over and over again. Her nails dug into his shoulders as she threw her head back against the pillow. Her inner walls were clenching him so tightly, that he was afraid that he would cum inside of her anyway. He gritted his teeth to avoid that from happening. He would never forgive himself if he ruined her life. He felt her cumming as shrill screams burst from her lips as her body trembled over and over, before her body went limp.

Ezra bellowed out her name, then he pulled out of her, and then he squirted his release on the moist sheets. The room reeked strongly of sex and sweat. And then he collapsed on top of her, hearing her light snoring as his eyes closed shut. His semi conscious mind not coming to grips with what he had just let happened between him and Aria.

**First off thanks for the great reviews. You guys words really motivate me to make this story great. I love seeing my returning followers and gaining new ones as well. Okay, enough of that lol. Wow, I hope I wasn't the only one that got hot from their insane love scene. It actually took me a couple of tries to get to the point where I was satified with it, so I hoped I delivered to you guys expectation. Please don't forget to review! I want to know you guys thoughts on this latest chapter of mine. And I'm going on vacation pretty soon, so hopefully I can have Aria's pov up when I get back. I have a few surprises in store for you guys.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

**Aria POV**

Aria woke to feel a crushing weight on top of her. She opened her eyes sluggishly, and then she looked down to see the top of Mr. Fitz dark head lying on her chest. He moved in his sleep and she moaned, his limp cock brushing against her pussy, and his lips grazing her right nipple. It grew erect, causing her to suck in a breath at the pain and sensitivity she felt. They looked raw from his intense suckling, tugging and flicking, and biting at them. She smiled, feeling giddy as she remembered what had occurred between them last night. She still couldn't wrapped her mind around it. Last night had been his choice to make. She ran a light hand through his beautiful soft hair, trying not to wake him as he snored on. She felt absolutely comfortable like this. She really didn't want to move.

He looked so peaceful in his sleep. She found that she enjoyed watching him sleep, her other hand running down his exposed shoulder and back. She loved his body heat, loving as it merged with hers. She looked at how their bodies were entangled in the sheets. The way that her creamy unblemished skin looked great against his more darker coloring. Last night he had only been hers, and hers alone. He had been deep inside of her. A place that no man, or guy had ever been before. She loved how his arm was thrown across her small waist, his hand dangling to the floor. She felt so safe, so protected in his arms, his body covering her smaller one. It felt so good to wake up underneath him. To get to gaze upon his sleeping form with hunger filling her eyes. Freedom to watch him freely without him having to see the emotions that flickered across her face. What was these emotions? Emotions that were so foreign to her? She was terrified of developing real feelings for him. She only sort to get physical contact from him. Not to have an emotional connection with him.

His godlike body felt so good to the touch under her fingers, her fingers feeling the fresh marks she had left on his back, and her hand coming into contact with the deep teeth impression on his left shoulder. She traced the impression again, her fingertips brushing his soft skin with a careful hand. She had caused him so many injuries, marring his striking body. But god, how he had been so big. When he had first pulled down and kicked off his pajama pants, she had thought he wouldn't be able to fit inside of her small narrow passage, but she had instantly quashed that fear, choosing instead to savor her won victory before grabbing him. How he had felt in her hand. Big and menacing. A part of him palpitating in her hands. She had actually touched him so intimately. She had always been bold with him, but never had she been bold enough to grasp him in her hands until last night. He had been the first man she had ever touched like that. He had also been the first man she had allowed to go down on her. Her and the other guys in her life had been hot and heavy, but that was it.

She wiggled out from under him, careful not to wake him up. She gasped as she felt a slight discomfort between her thighs as she stood up. She felt so incredibly sore, but it was so worth it. She still thought that them having sex had been a dream, but glancing down at the blood stained sheets mixed with her cum and his semen told her otherwise. There was so much blood, that someone would think that a murder had taken place. He stirred in his sleep, the sheets falling off of him. She got a better look at the reddish long scratches on his back that her long nails had inflicted as they moved down to join the ones on his tight muscular ass. She wanted to kiss them, but she fought that urge.

Her eyes moved from his body to take in the surroundings of the room that mirrored her own, before they landed back on the bed. It looked like a tornado had blown through. She laughed to herself. Her and Mr. Fitz had really done a number on it. The bed was a total mess, the pillows and the huge comforter littered the floor, and the white sheets that had her blood on them were ripped from the mattress. Their clothes were tossed in every single direction. She never felt so great in her whole entire life. Mr. Fitz was a wonderful lover. Especially with the way he had given her so much pleasure. She vividly remembered his tongue thrusting in and out of her hot and swollen ocean, the way he flicked it over and over against her hard pulsating clitoris, and the way he had sucked her clitoris like it was a hard piece of candy, making it harder and harder. How he had licked her wet swollen folds, before licking inside of her inner walls. The way she had erupted so violently into his mouth while his tongue continuously thrusted into her as her orgasm rocked her body to its core.

She remembered holding his throbbing long thick cock in her hands. She had teased him, stroking him before squeezing him as he closed his eyes, his face contorted up in pain as he held back his impending orgasm as groans rumbled from out of his throat. A dangerous look of lust in his eyes as he knocked her hands away and climbed on top of her. She had been so wet with her juices running out onto the bed. She had so wanted to take him into her mouth, her teeth nibbling the head of his cock before her tongue licked from the tip to the base of his dick, before licking her way up again to tease the little slit at the very top. Her mind whirling at the missed chance to take him deep into her mouth, sucking him over and over as he repeatedly hit the back of her throat. She had wanted to taste him like he had tasted her, with some of his cum trickling from out the side of her mouth as she swallowed the rest. Her tummy quivering at the thought.

Her nose finally took in the strong odor that lingered in the room. The smell of sex, blood, and sweat filled her nostrils as she gathered up her clothing in her arms, before she left out his room through the connecting door, her eyes glancing back at his sleeping form. She wanted to join him again. To have him kiss her again. To have his fingers and mouth toying with her nipples and breasts again. To feel his warm breath and amazing mouth and tongue on her pussy again, and to have him fuck her again. Masturbation so failed in comparison to the real thing. She was so addicted, having Mr. Fitz to thank. Her eyes sweeping his drowsing form one last time before turning back around and leaving out the room quietly.

She grabbed her items to take a hot shower with, feeling the dry stickiness between her legs. It hurt for her to move a lot, but that was the price she was willing to pay. She headed to her big bathroom, still hearing the ringing echo of her screams, their moans and groans, and his grunts in her ears. She shook her head at how she had passed out afterwards. She had never felt more embarrassed in her life. What did he think of her? She shook her head again, trying not to dwell on it. She was fairly confident that she had given him a lot of pleasure too. Especially with how tight and wet she had been. He had made her toes curl. Literally.

She remembered squeezing her inner walls around his cock over and over again, hearing how his throaty groans had grown louder and louder, and how he had gripped the headboard above their heads. She had thought that he was going to rip it from the wall. At one point during their roughness and intensity, she had feared that they would break the bed, and that they would wake up everyone on their floor. He had gone so deep within her, thrusting over and over, and harder and harder inside of her. He had stretched her to the point of nearly ripping her insides. Over and over he had hit her crevice, hitting her sweet spot as she felt his balls slapping against her clit time after time. She never screamed so much in her life. Her throat was a little irritated, but a little amount of mouthwash would fixed that problem. The way he had stared down into her eyes the whole time. He wouldn't even let her look away from him. The look in his eyes. The way he had insistently kissed her as he thrusted into her. She twisted her hair into a loose knot at the top of her head, before stepping into the welcoming shower stall.

She got the water temperature just right as the hot water ran down her body. She got hot and swollen all over again. She breathed deeply as she lathered her body up with her cucumber and green tea scented soap. She moaned in ecstasy as the water seeped between her thighs, washing some of her soreness away. She remembered how good it first felt when he had pushed into her clamped walls slowly, and then the tremendous pain that came with him being embedded so deeply inside of her, but she had endured it. She still couldn't get over how large he had been, buried so deep that she had thought he was getting ready to split her in two. She thought it was inhumanely impossible for someone to be able to go so deep. She loved how he had taken his time with her. How he had drew her mind away from the excruciating pain. She was glad to know that he wasn't a selfish lover. He had put her needs before his own. Her first time had been painful, but yet enjoyable.

Aria turned her back to the blaring showerhead, letting the water flow down her back, butt, and legs. They had fitted so perfectly together. The way they had moved as one person. Simultaneously. The way they both had took what each other dealt to the other. She had kept up with him the entire time. He sped up, she sped up. He thrusted his hips downward into her, and she thrusted her hips upward onto him. Thrust after thrust she impaled herself on him. She had gripped the sheets and the pillow behind her head for support against the on going pleasure he was giving her. She lathered her body up again, her hands running down her stomach, her thighs and legs, and then back up to her slightly tumid breasts and sore nipples. Her body was very much new to the art of love making so it had to adjust. She wondered if the second time would be as painful as the first as she threw her head back and let the water run down her face, running her hands down her face to wipe away the water from out of her eyes. She wanted to sleep with him again, but her body wasn't quite ready yet. She rinsed off, and then she grabbed a towel and dried herself off, before throwing the damp towel onto the floor. Then she grabbed another towel and wrapped it around her body.

She brushed her teeth, and then she let her hair tumble down in waves as she finger combed her mass of thick shiny hair, loving as the cool tresses slipped out her fingers. She plugged in her small curling iron to put her dark hair in ringlets, and then she brought out her make up bag, gazing into the two face mirror as she applied her make up. Her dark long locks bouncing as she moved. With a professional hand, she brushed on purple eyeshadow on both of her top lids, then she brushed on grayish black underneath it, using two fingers to blend in the shades, then she applied black eyeliner, and she then applied mascara on her top and bottom lashes, making them appear thick and fuller to bring life to her eyes. They had a smoky feel to them, but not quite, so she brushed in a little white and green eyeshadow to mix in with the previous colors. Then using her black eyeliner pencil again, she added a fake tiny mole at the corner of her bottom lip, and then she rubbed on purple lipstick, adding a coat of clear lip gloss on top of it to make her full lips shine. When she was satisfied with her appearance, she left out of the steamy bathroom. She glanced at the nightstand by the bed to see the time. It was 11 o'clock.

She opened up her suitcase, and then she laid out what she was going to wear for today. She also remembered that Adam had wanted to take her to a movie, then out to dinner, and then he wanted to take her rock climbing, so she stuffed a purple tube top that tied around her neck, and some short shorts that hugged her thighs into a small drawstring bag, and then she pushed it aside for later. She wished that she could just back out and not go, but she had already promised him she would. She blew out a frustrating breath, wanting more than anything to spend her last day with Mr. Fitz. She didn't know when they would be able to be alone again, or get another opportunity like this. She didn't want to think about what would happen when they got back home to Rosewood. She just wanted to focus on the time they had together here. Right now. Then realizing that they still had tonight, she gave a sinful smile. Sinful acts of what to do to him filled her head. She wanted to repay the favor by going down on him. She shuddered just at the thought of having him inside her mouth. She could envision herself teasing the tip of his cock before taking his entire length into her mouth.

Shaking her head she got dress. She clipped on a deep purple strapless bra, and then she slithered into the matching panties with the fancy lace design. They molded her butt cheeks perfectly. She felt like going Caribbean this morning. Careful as not to mess up her hair, she pulled a Jamaican strapless maxi dress over her head. It came just above her knees, showing off her long legs as well as her womanly figure. The dress was mostly black, but it had the colors red, yellow and green, and purple on it as well. She put a pair of black flats on her feet, then she put on a pair of Jamaican rain drop threaded earrings on to match the dress, and then she put on a small half black jacket that she grabbed from off the hanging rack in the closet. Then she walked over to the mirror right above the desk, eyeing her full body reflection. She looked incredibly sexy, and she knew that Mr. Fitz would be speechless upon seeing her and she smiled with such wickedness, knowing that he would be tempted once again. She loved the fact that he had come to her on his own last night, and she wanted him to continue to do so. She loved looking into his beautiful eyes as their bodies met over and over again, feeling a warming glow in the pit of her stomach.

Speaking of Mr. Fitz , she peeked into his room to see that he was still sleeping soundlessly. A night of fierce love making having a major effect on him. She had enjoyed having his hard body on top of hers, but next time she wanted to ride his dick hard, taking him as deeply inside of her body as she possibly could. She wanted to be the one to gaze down into his eyes. She wanted to feel his fingers digging into her waist as he thrusted his hips upwards into her saturated cave, stretching her more and more to accommodate his size. She remembered hissing with relief as her inner walls relaxed around him. She wanted to rock back and forth on him, and to bounce up and down on his hard protruding cock as he got harder and harder inside of her. She sadly wondered, if any of her future lovers would be able to compare to him. That was something she wasn't willing to think about now.

Aria shook her head mentally, shutting the connecting door softly, before grabbing her key card and her handbag, and then she headed out her room door as she headed down to the ground floor to visit the little café. She wanted to buy them both a cup of black coffee, a yogurt, and a fresh baked muffin. Her stomach growled just from thinking about the contents that she would be devouring. The elevator door opened, and then she walked off in the direction of the café, looking fairly confident that she knew where she was going. Her and Adam, and a couple of others did a lot of exploring yesterday when they had first arrived. The hotel was just so big and magnificence. Everytime she took it in she got star stuck all over again. It had all the places you could possibly want to visit. She was already acquainted with the hair and nail salon, the arcade, and thanks to Mr. Fitz, Joey's pizza parlor.

Suddenly, a sickening dread took hold of her, stopping her in her tracks as her mind reeled. Mr. Fitz hadn't wore a condom when they had engaged in sex last night. They both had been reckless. How could I have been so stupid? She asked herself. She had brought along her very own box of trusty condoms. No wonder sex between them had been so very good. It had been raw flesh against raw flesh. Skin to skin contact. She couldn't believe that she had been dumb enough not to remember something as important as a condom. She knew that she was on birth control, but it still wasn't always so accurate half of the time. She could possibly still get pregnant. She tried not to think about that harsh reality. Of course in the future she wanted children. Lots of them, but not now. She wasn't ready to be a mom yet. She was still young, and she still had her whole life in front of her. There were still some things she wanted to do, and to accomplish. A baby didn't fit in her plans. She didn't want to ruin Mr. Fitz's life, or her own. She had never been so careless in her whole life, until now. She had always prided herself on being efficient when it came to these types of situations. The sick feeling intensified, and she had to take deep breaths to get herself under control. Was this the price she would have to pay for one night of passion? She hoped it wouldn't be. Did he cum inside of her? Or did he pull out of her at the right moment? She desperately wanted to know. She didn't remember anything, because she had passed out afterwards. There was only one solution. She had to ask Mr. Fitz when she got back up to his room. She started to walk again, feeling a little better at the knowledge that he had pulled out of her. Would it be so bad to have his baby? An image of a small little girl with her creamy skin, glorious dark hair and facial features, but had Mr. Fitz's trademark beautiful blue eyes entered her mind.

She got in line to make her order, her mind wandering back to when Mr. Fitz had invited her up to his room for dinner. How he had showed her a picture of his parents. A smiling attractive young couple with their small son between them looking like the perfect family. Like nothing bad would ever touch them. She had known what he had been trying to do, but she hadn't been ready to talk about Caroline, or the fire. She had felt the simmering of impatience, but he had pushed it back. Not wanting to force her. He had even came running when she had one of her many nightmares. How he had comforted her, holding her in his strong capable arms as he rocked her body with his. He had whispered to her as he wiped her tears away, assuring her that he was there, and that nothing would touch her. The way he had kissed her head, inhaling her smell. The way he had been so concerned about her. Like he had felt some other emotion besides lust towards her. She recalled snuggling up to him with her arms around his neck as he rubbed her back. She still felt the heat of his breath. The beat of his heartbeat, and the vibration of his voice. The way he had carried her in his arms as though she was light as a feather as he took her back to his room, and then he placed her on his bed. She had felt so safe in his arms. Like nothing could ever harm her as long as she was in his arms.

He had gotten her to open up about her sister Caroline. Something that no one has be able to do. She had felt such relief at being able to share that burden with someone. It had felt like a huge weight had been lifted off of her chest. For the first time in years she could really breath again without the sense of guilt holding her down. He had been a great listener. He had been so in tune with what she was feeling. How he had kept assuring her over and over again that she wasn't to blame. That her older sister's death wasn't her fault, so she could finally stop blaming herself for something that she had no control over. So she could finally live her life without feeling guilty. And then he had kissed her, and it had been so different from that kiss he had given her that night outside of the campus bar parking lot. It had felt more real. Steered without anguish, or frustration. Like he cared a great deal for her. It wasn't exactly love, but it was something much closer to it. How he had been so open, honest, and real with her, and she had latched onto that ravenously. She had never been so starved in her life. In that one moment he had been the one person she had needed.

She had really let him see inside of her, and that had formed an emotional bond between them. Things were never going to be the same between them again. She had felt his every emotion like it was her own as he had kissed her, his demanding mouth on hers. His need to stop her from self blaming herself. To take away all the pain that she felt, and to have her focus on the here and now. When he had pulled away, she had read the confusion in his eyes, and she knew that he must have read the confusion in hers too. Something had happened, but neither one could interpret what it was, or understand it. It had just felt so right and so good at the time. She pulled herself from out of her cogitation as she paid for the two cups of black coffee with added sugar and heavy cream, the two small containers of yogurt, and two English muffins, before she left and headed back to the elevator.

Aria still couldn't get over how great it felt to have sex with him. To ultimately get what she wanted from him. She smiled like a fool to no one in particular. She knew that it changed nothing. She wasn't expecting him to break up with Jamiee. She knew that would never happen anyway, because he wasn't in love with her. He was in love with Jamiee. She would be kidding herself if she were to anticipate more from him. What they had shared was just sex. Great remarkable sex, but that was all it was. She wasn't going to read more into it. They were just two consenting adults expressing their mutual, and sexual attraction for one another. She knew for certain that she didn't love him, and he definitely didn't love her. She refused to develop any real feelings for him. She was all for taking a risk, but she wouldn't risk getting hurt when she knew that he could never return her feelings. All she expected was more and more wonderful sex between the two of them.

She struggled with opening her hotel room door with an arm full, but she finally managed it with a few more tries. The only thing she didn't want to happen was for him to regret their night together. She would never forget last night as long as she lived. She also knew that he wouldn't able to forget it either. Even if he still fought against her. Against his attraction for her. He had given her something to make the painful memories less painful. She could reflect back on their one night together whenever she encountered another nightmare. She went through the connecting door leading into his room, pushing the door open all the way with her foot. She heard the shower being turned off as she glanced towards the bed, seeing that housekeeping had already visited him. The bed had a fresh comforter set and fresh white sheets. She wondered how Mr. Fitz explained the blood. Her eyes were magnetically drawn to the bathroom door as it opened and Mr. Fitz came sauntering out dripping all wet as water droplets rolled down his well defined chest and washboard abs, his dark gleaming soft hair matted to the top of his head, and a white towel was drooped across his shoulders .His low rise jeans riding lower than ever as they hung off of his hips as she watched as the dark pubic hairline disappeared into his jeans. She bit down hard on her bottom lip uncaringly, a moan slipped passed her lips as she took him in. The pit of her stomach dropping as her eyes strayed back down towards the front of his jeans as she remembered the size of him. Remembered how he kept thrusting into her endlessly. Like he had wanted to stay planted inside of her forever. She moaned again, her eyes lifting up to his face. Her knees grew feeble, and her heart was beating insanely fast as his eyes roamed over her body in a slow like matter, the corners of his mouth twitching.

She saw a flash of lust before it vanished, his eyes coming up to meet hers head on as the air seemed to thicken around them. Feeling extreme hot flashes as an image of herself writhing underneath him played in the depths of his eyes. She wanted to kiss him, but the look in his eyes stopped her. She closed her eyes against the look of regret that now reflected in his eyes as he fully digested the ramifications of what went on between them last night. Saw the silently self anger directed at himself for his poor choice. As though sensing a slight change in her, he shielded off his emotions from her, but it was already too late. She had already seen his true feelings regarding their night together. She would never regret what happened between them last night. Pulling her eyes away from his, she walked over to place the two cups of steaming coffee, and the bag with the delectable smelling muffins and yogurt on the table, before turning back around and facing him again, running a swift hand through her luxurious locks. The movement causing her hair to fall back down in shambles. She had no way of knowing what a gorgeous picture she made, or how perfect he found her to be.

She was hurt, but she masked it well, smiling one of her seductive smiles at him as she approached him, her hips swaying pornographically, her eyes glittering with excitement as she stared deeply into his eyes before kissing him fully on the lips. She pressed her lips harder against his as he responded back less responsive as she boldly thrusted her tongue into his mouth and he groaned before he eventually pulled away from her. His breath smelling minty fresh. She knew that he would never admit that what they did was a mistake to her face. She didn't know what bothered him more. The fact that she was so young, that she was his student after all, or the fact that he was still in a committed relationship with Jamiee. Her big brown eyes surveyed him, questioning his blue ones, wanting him to be straight with her.

"How are you feeling?" Mr. Fitz asked as he stepped from around her as he went to go tug on a blue polo jersey shirt over his wet head, his muscles flexing.

He avoided staring into her face again, so she turned around to face him once more. Why did he avoid looking into her eyes? Hadn't she seen what he didn't want her to see before he shielded his eyes from her?

"I'm still really sore, but I should be okay," Aria said as she touched her still tingling lips, before she dropped her hand away. "What about you? I bruised you up pretty good. I'm sorry about that".

He looked up at her then, a little smile tugging at his lips.

"You should be feeling back to normal by tomorrow. I never meant to hurt you so much. I only meant to give you as much pleasure as possible" Mr. Fitz said as he looked into her eyes, before staring down her body, and then he looked back into her eyes again. She could clearly see that he wanted her again, her lips curling into a knowing smirk as she read the indecision in his eyes of crossing that line again. "I never felt the pain from the scratches, but I felt the bite". He laughed at her expression. "I'll be fine I assure you, Aria. I've felt much worse before, and I'm betting that I'll heal in a day, or two".

"Of course it was really painful at first, but after you drew me away from the pain I never experienced such pleasure Mr. Fitz," Aria said smiling, emphasizing on the word pleasure. "You're an amazing lover".

He nodded, seeming at lost for words, his eyes holding hers steadily as he collected his thoughts and words, getting ready to say what he had to say to her. What he felt he had to say to her. She saw the seriousness forming in his eyes. She ran another hand through her hair carelessly, bracing herself for whatever he was about to say, but before he did, she thought she would try another attempt. Never breaking her eyes away from his, she went to him and was getting ready to press her body up against his and wrap her arms around his neck, but he grabbed both of her wrists in his hands, holding her off as he gave a giant shake of his head to tell her no.

She was very surprised to find his grip on her gentle as her skin burned against his. Her eyes dropping down towards his mouth before looking back up into his again, her mouth slightly agape as his own gaze dawdled on hers. His jaw was set with tension.

"We can't let what happened between us last night happen again Aria," Mr. Fitz said in one breath as he released her imprisoned wrists as though he was being tempted just from holding her harmlessly. "It has to be only the one time. I'm in a committed relationship, and you're my student. This could never happen again. God knows I had a chance to back out, but I didn't, so now I'm going to have to live with the choice I made. I'm going to keep as much distance between us as humanly possible, before I let this happen the next time".

"If that's what you want. Is that what you want Mr. Fitz?" Aria asked him, not believing him for a moment as she took a step back from him, her eyes still leveled with his. Her body more than anything missing the closeness of his. She knew that he was struggling with doing the right thing, but she wanted what she wanted, and she didn't care about being selfish, or about the rules of right and wrong. "You said that you had a chance to back out, so why didn't you? Why sleep with me if you knew you were going to regret it? I get that you're in a committed relationship, so I'm not asking you to leave Jamiee, or for something serious. And I really wish that you would stop remaining me that I'm your student and that you're my teacher. I get so sick of hearing that. You say that you're going to keep your distance from me, but how is that even feasible? We're on this trip together, I'm in your class every single day, we're in the same school building, and I'm in the poetry club. If we want to talk about truth, you can no more stay away from me, then I can stay away from you".

"Yes, that's what I want. What I feel is right" Mr. Fitz said, his voice filled with anger as he ran a frustrating hand through his hair, hoping that she would understand from his perceptive and not make it any more difficult than it already was. "I have no right to be angry. Especially at you". He tore his eyes away from hers as he walked over to the mini bar and poured himself a glass of Scotch, drowning it, before pouring himself another glass.

He cradled the glass in his hands as he walked over to the couch, and then he sunk down onto it slowly. She watched as the conflicted emotions played across his face as he brought the glass towards his lips once more, and then he started to speak again as though she wasn't in the room.

"When I first saw you in my classroom I thought you were the most beautiful girl that I had ever seen. Granted, I wouldn't have looked at you any other way a teacher would look at one of their students, but then I started to see that you wanted me and I…but that doesn't matter anymore" He said as he waved an unimportant hand, his eyes fixed on the amber golden liquid whirling around in his glass. "You asked why I didn't back away from you, and the answer is because I couldn't fight my want for you any longer Aria. For once I didn't want to try to fight my feelings for you. I just wanted to be inside of you".

He looked up at her as he swallowed the rest of the liquid, before getting back up to refill his empty glass. His eyes drawn to hers again as though they were the only thing he wanted to find.

"Is that what you read in my eyes, regret?" He asked her somberly.

She could tell that he wasn't intentionally trying o her hurt her.

"Yes. Is that what you really feel Mr. Fitz, regret for making love to me?" Aria asked in a low voice, her eyes trained on him as she walked slowly towards him.

"I never meant for you to see that Aria, but it isn't just regret I feel. It's also guilt and anguish"Mr. Fitz said thickly, before throwing back the Scotch, and then grimacing as the strong liquor hit the back of his throat. "I feel guilty for enjoying last night so much, and I'm mad at myself for letting it happen. I knew better Aria, but instead I didn't care about anything. Not that it was wrong, or even about the consequences. When I kept asking you if you were sure, I was secretly hoping that you wouldn't change your mind, because at that point I didn't know if I was able to stop. When I said that I was going to keep distance between us, I meant I was going to make sure that we're not left alone".

Still keeping up the façade of masking her real emotions, Aria let her fingers graze his forearm, feeling as his skin prickled underneath her touch. Basking in how he closed his eyes in a moment of weakness, before reopening them again to stare heatedly at her. She chewed on her bottom plump lip. She loved that he confessed to enjoying sex with her. This made her even more confident that they were going to sleep together again, and again ,and again. She wasn't about to back down. She knew what in the middle of the night he would wake up longing for her body, the touch of her mouth, and the touch of her lips. And that gave her great joy knowing that she had that type of power over him. She was an opportunist, so she wasn't worried about not finding time to be completely alone with him. She just didn't want to push him too far.

"Do you want me again? I can feel how much you want me. You can't hide from me, and you can't run from me either" Aria said as she gave a little tickle of a laugh, her fingertips stroking him.

He gulped hard before answering, his eyes ablaze with light.

"No. We can't do this again" Mr. Fitz said with much conviction as he could, moving her hand off of him. "I already told you that I won't allow this to happen again".

She regarded him as he threw back the last of his alcohol with a bemused expression on her lovely face. Who was he trying to fool? Himself, or her? She loved a good challenge.

"You're a liar Mr. Fitz, but I'm a very patient woman" Aria said persuasively, provocatively bringing out her tongue to wet her lips, and then moaning as if they were the most delicious thing she had ever tasted. "In the end I always get what I want"

He cleared his throat, his eyes nearly popping out of his head as they were glued to her mouth. She laughed with such merriment, her brown eyes twinkling. He pulled his transfixed eyes from her, and was about to say something to her, but there was a knock at his door. Without looking away from her, he called out to see who it was. The laughter dying in her throat at the sound of Jamiee's voice, her eyes asking him wordlessly if he was expecting her. He said that he was, and then she made to leave without him seeing how Jamiee's presence affected her, but he stopped her by reaching out for her hand. His eyes conveying to her, but failing that he wanted to explain, but she shook her head, her eyes empty of any true feelings as they told his that he didn't have to. That she wasn't his girlfriend. That she was just his student. Just his lover, and then she pulled her delicate hand from out of his, feeling as his eyes followed her from out the room.

Aria chose to block Mr. Fitz from out of her mind as she enjoyed the rest of her day with Adam. It was fun to escape from her problems for a while. Although, she couldn't help that little nagging feeling in her head that wanted to know what he was doing with Jamiee. Why did she really give a damn? Hadn't she already gotten what she wanted from him? True, but she wanted him again. She didn't think that she would ever stop wanting him after last night. She couldn't believe that she wasn't a virgin anymore. It was like her mind couldn't stay off of him and Jamiee alone together in his hotel room. Questions still bombarded her mind. Would he sleep with Jamiee after being with her? Would he take her in the same bed as he had taken her so aggressively, and so explosively? If so, how would he explain the scratches on his back and the bite mark on his shoulder? Would he be seeing her, or Jamiee lying beneath him? Would it be her lips, or Jamiee's lips he'll be kissing? Would it be her big brown eyes, or Jamiee's cornflower blue ones he'll be staring down into? Would it be her name, or Jamiee's name that would fall from his lips as he reached his climax? She knew that sex with Jamiee wouldn't be the same after he had been in her last night. He could try to pretend, but they both knew differently. A very concerned look from Adam brought her out of her deep thoughts. She smiled apologetically, and then she focused on their time together.

They went to the movie theater first. They went to go see Final Destination 5 . He brought them a large popcorn with lots of butter to share and two big soft drinks as they made their way into cinema one. They found two empty seats towards the middle row as the movie began to play on the gigantic screen, the lights dimming all around them. He laughed and made fun of her as she screamed and clung to him, her face buried in his shoulder, but she didn't care. His arm went around her waist to keep her planted in the seat so she wouldn't jump up and leave as she yelled again and again as another person died grotesquely, and brutally. She got pissed when he kept laughing at her expense, so she punched him in his shoulder with every ounce of strength she had, but he only laughed harder at her and other people started to look in their direction, but they both didn't seem to care all that much. He yanked on a lock of her hair to tell her that the movie had finally ended, and she blew out a relieved breath, daring him to make fun of her again.

She was grateful as they made their way out of the movie theater, stopping at a photo booth to take some funny pictures with each other, before heading to Sizzlers to eat dinner. They both ordered well done streaks with seasoned potatoes, a grill chicken garden salad, a slice of strawberry cheesecake, and a glass of their famous sweet ice tea with lime. They chatted lively about the movie they had just went in saw, the funny pictures that they just took together, last night's poetry readers, answered more questions that they had for the other, and other random things as they waited for their food. Aria took in the beautiful quiet scenery as she ate her very scrumptious food and talked and laughed some more with Adam. She found him very entertaining. She was really having such a good time. She was really glad that she didn't back out on him.

She liked how his enchanting green eyes stared at her strongly across the table as they took everything in about her. The reflecting glow of the flickering flame in her eyes from the candle that sat in the center of their table, the way her lips would curve up into a smile at his jokes, the way her fingers would flow through her long dark silky hair, and the way she would bit and chew on her bottom lip. She couldn't find it in herself to look away, her own eyes staring strongly back at him, feeling a stirring within herself as he unknowingly stroked the back of her hand with his fingertips. What was she doing? She couldn't do this. Was this supposed to be a date? What happen to her statement to Mr. Fitz about not wanting him? As they made to leave, he grabbed her hand with his and she didn't put up much of a complaint. She couldn't believe that she was here with him like this. A long time dream of hers coming to fruition . She feared that her old feelings for him were growing even stronger than when they first met again on the bus. Did she want this? She knew that he wanted more from her. She read it in his eyes. Read it in the looks he gave her. Could she give him what he wanted? She really didn't know what she wanted when it came to him. On one hand, she wanted Mr. Fitz, but on the other hand she wanted to know where things would lead with her and Adam. Sometimes she really hated her curiosity. She knew that she would have to break things off with Wes when she got back home for good.

They put on their rock climbing equipment, and then they started climbing with her a few paces behind him. She was terribly afraid of heights, but she kept on climbing towards the top with his words of encouragement, ignoring the stabbing pain between her thighs from the uncomfortable gear between her legs. Once they both had reached the top and made it back down safely to the ground, he convinced her to go back up again, loving the second time much better. She was exhausted when they finally made it back up to their floor, her muscles screaming in protest. All she wanted to do was take a relaxing shower, and then she wanted to get some much needed sleep. He released her hand as soon as they got to her hotel room door.

"I had a great time with you today," Adam said as his hand came up to play with a ringlet, twirling the strand around his finger, his body exceedingly close to hers.

"Yeah, me too" Aria said, not knowing what else to say, her head filled with different types of emotions all at once.

She could hear the pounding of her heartbeat in her ears.

"I really want to kiss you…" Adam left off, his breath fanning her face like a winter breeze. "But I know that you have a boyfriend, so I'm going to respect that".

She nodded her head as she watched as his head tilted closer, and closer towards her, her eyes closing as she awaited the touch of his lips upon hers, but before his lips could even graze hers, the sound of Mr. Fitz booming voice rendered her back to reality.

"Mr. Bailey, I think it's time for you and Ms. Montgomery to call it a night. We have a long drive back to Rosewood tomorrow morning," Mr. Fitz said with barely concealed anger, his voice not up for argument as his eyes glared hard at Adam, before looking at her, and then he looked back towards Adam again.

Adam stared back at Mr. Fitz with bewilderment, not missing the angry undertone in his voice as he tried to figure out what he had done to warrant such a reaction from him. After a while of awkwardness, he inclined his head, and then he looked back down at Aria.

"I'll see you on the bus tomorrow" Adam said, before kissing her forehead, and then he stepped away from her.

"Yeah, okay," Aria said dazedly, not sparing him a look as he left to head back to his room that was two doors down from theirs, her eyes only for Mr. Fitz, who glared after Adam, until he was out of sight, and then his eyes found hers again.

What right did he have to be jealous and angry? He was the one that said they couldn't go there again. Not like she would have listened anyway. Her eyes couldn't be dragged away from his as they both stood there just staring at each other. She didn't know how long they stood there. Was it seconds, or minutes? His eyes were getting her intoxicated just from gazing into them. They were the most beautiful sight she had ever seen. She felt a fluttering in her stomach. He was looking at her in that way again. The same way he had stared down into her eyes last night when she was under him. She felt a gnawing ache building inside of her with every pull from his eyes. She felt a lack of oxygen as she struggled to breath, the message still not reaching her brain. She wanted him. Needed him again like a drug, but this wasn't the right time. Damn the situation and her body. She bit on her lip as she swallowed back a moan as his eyes swept over her body so greedily, before looking back up into her face. She felt the want emanating from him in great waves as he started walking towards her to get to his room, but she knew that he wasn't going to succumb to her. Her eyes just now noticing the bucket of ice in his hands.

"You should get some sleep Aria," Mr. Fitz said coarsely as he inserted his key card.

"What you saw with me and Adam…" Aria began, finally finding her voice again.

"You don't have to waste your breath explaining to me Aria. Just like you said that I didn't have to explain to you about Jamiee showing up" Mr. Fitz said harshly as he gave her a vacant look over his shoulder. "I'm just your teacher. Nothing more".

Aria grew furious at his indifference to her, but she wasn't about to let him see how much his words hurt her.

"Right," Aria said icily, before jamming her key card into the slot, and then she went inside the cool room.

She changed into a big shirt after she took a quick shower, then she brushed her teeth and scrubbed her face clean, and then she pulled her hair into a ponytail, before being drawn towards the connecting door, her hand going around the cold gold knob. She wanted to see him. Had to talk to him, and she couldn't wait until tomorrow, because she wouldn't be able to. They both had been jealous and hurt today. Feeling an instant rush as she thought of herself climbing into his bed naked with him. She wondered if he really would be able to resist her. She obviously wanted him again, and he obviously wanted her again, so what was stopping her? Her body was still sore, but that didn't mean that she couldn't pleasure only him. Wanting to test her theory of seeing if he would resist her, she made to turn the knob, but stopped when she heard giggles coming from the other side of the door. Jamiee's soft giggles. Heart sinking in her chest, because she knew that they had slept together. She moved from the door in a trance like state as she headed towards the bed. She had to call her night with Adam to an end, but not him with Jamiee. Well, she didn't care, and he could try to fight her all he wanted, but she was gong to have him again. She thought with pure determination as she got into bed. And not even Jamiee would stand in her way.

**Sorry I took so long updating this guys, but I've been really busy lately. So, what did you think? Let me know by reviewing me. I really love reading what you guys have to say. And you can now follow me on Twitter.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

**Ezra POV**

Ezra rubbed his eyes with aggressive hands, before he pushed the huge stack of graded papers aside. He couldn't concentrate. The staff faculty meeting that had been held this afternoon had ran late, and he had just arrived home a few hours ago. Two days had passed and he still couldn't get that night with Aria out of his head. He tried to, but he couldn't. It tormented his mind. She tormented him. Her beauteous body, her eyes, and her succulent lips. He had to stop torturing himself like this, or he would go insane. He picked up the beer bottle, and then he took a sip of it, before drowning the whole thing straight back. He then got up to go into the kitchen to grab another beer out of the refrigerator, and then he headed back into his office to finish grading papers.

The feel of being inside of her. The feel of plunging his member into her had felt so good. He pressed the cold bottle of beer against his very heated face, then down along his neck, and then back up to his forehead. She had been so unbelievably tight and slippery wet beyond belief. The sweet taste of her, and the alluring smell of her. Her whispery panting, loud moans and groans, and screams that nearly shattered his eardrums. The feel of her breasts in the palm of his hands. The feel of her dark erect nipples on his tongue, enjoying the feel of suckling on the little buds. The way her had body moved under his. The way she had ran like a faucet into his mouth. It had felt like he had been drinking the elixir of life. The heavy weight of his body crushing her smaller one. The way they had clung to each other like slithering snakes. He had never wanted it to end. Had begged for it not to end.

The feel of her legs wrapped around his waist as he thrusted into her sweltering pussy. He had thrusted so deeply into her over and over, causing her to whimper and scream with pleasurable agony. The stinging pain of her fingernails as they had raked down his back and ass leaving marks. Marks that were officially gone now. The beautiful set of her white teeth sinking down into his shoulder. She had been an animal. A tigress. The way he had stared down into her glimmering hot eyes as he repeatedly fucked her harder and harder, and deeper and deeper. God, the feel of being inside of her without a condom. Even with Jamiee he had always remembered to wear one, but with Aria it was like he couldn't fully think. Like he lost all common sense when it came to her. The rawness of it. The delicious feel of it. The feel of her inner muscle walls squeezing him so tightly. How he had wanted to cum inside of her tight virgin pussy, filling her up with his semen. If only he hadn't ran the high risk of getting her pregnant. He wanted kids, but not with her. She was too young.

He uncapped the top of the beer, and then he took a long draw from it, before placing it back down onto the desk. He pulled more papers that needed grading towards him, his mind still on his night with Aria. The way her nimble fingers had felt their way over his body. Across his chest, then down his taunt stomach, his arms, his muscular back and waist, and then they had gripped his ass. His body and skin had came alive under her touch. He still felt her body heat even now. The feel of thrusting into her. How she had opened her thighs even more for him, granting him deeper access to her flame of heaven.

The touch of her smoldering mouth meeting his over and over again as he pounded her into the mattress, their tongues flicking and teasing the other as they stared into each others eyes. The feel of her hands on his cock as she stroked him, making him swell more and more. He grew big immediately as he imagined her hands still wrapped around him. He had wanted to feel her sugary lips on him. The look of stars in her eyes as she climaxed again and again, her body shuddering uncontrollably before it went still, and then she was soon snoring lightly in his ears from exhaustion. The last thing he remembered was shouting out her name, then pulling from out of her just before releasing his hot load of cum onto the sheets, and then he had collapsed on top of her. His own body weakened.

Ezra shook his head, taking another swig from the beer in his hand. He threw his head back, before pushing the papers away from him with force, his fingers combing through his thick hair with aggression. He had been drinking heavily. Had been since he got home, but he couldn't stop himself. He thought that he could cope better with alcohol in his system. He didn't care if it was Scotch, Beer, Brandy, Vodka, Bourbon, or Whiskey. As long as it was strong enough to numb the memories of that night, and his guilt and regret. He despised that he was becoming somewhat of an alcoholic. He ran an inconspicuous hand down his unshaved face, right before drowning some more of his beer, and then he belched noisily. His nights had been filled with restlessness from tossing and turning, his brain activity never quiet. He hadn't had much of an appetite either. The only thing that filled his mind was Aria and their one night of prohibited passion.

Making love to her had been so blissful. Never had he been so utterly satisfied. Not even with Jamiee. Sex between him and Jamiee was good, passionate and understanding, and familiar. But sex with him and Aria had been slow burn, raw, had been so aggressive and rough, had been filled with such unexplained intensity, and had been so explosive. The sex with her had been so earth shattering. They had been equals, knowing how to push and match the other. She had given her body over to him completely, and he had given his body over to her completely. He wouldn't be able to forget their night together. The night of being inside of her for the first time. To have been the only man to be inside of her.

The feel of her naked body against his. She was his beautiful Aria and he was very much captivated by her. The feel of his sweat pouring down onto her, and her sweat dripping onto him. He groaned with frustration, shoving back the thoughts for good. He wouldn't be able to accomplish anything if he kept this up. If he kept thinking about her. Sleeping with her had made it worse. Especially between and Aria. Now he would have to struggle ten times harder not to go there with her again. Not to give into his urges again. So far he had stuck to his word about them not being alone together, but he didn't fail to miss the amused look of determination in her compelling eyes.

He honestly didn't know if he could ever touch Jamiee again, or any other woman without thinking of Aria. His very forbidden Aria. How she had been so ripe. He still couldn't believe that he had actually taken her virginity. He was her first real lover, and a selfish part of him wanted to be the only lover that she would ever have, but he knew that was unrealistic and he laughed venomously, before shaking his head again. He had been an amazing lover, the echoing of her words playing throughout his conscious mind. He didn't need for her to tell him that. He was already aware that he was. He just knew that he hadn't been able to sleep with Jamiee that day she had came to see him at the hotel. She had wanted to, but it had just been too soon after being with Aria. She had been willing and ready, but he had been so reluctant to have sex with her. Not just because of the scratches and the bite mark, but he had also felt like he would be betraying Aria for some odd reason. Why was that? It wasn't like he was in love with her, or like he was committed to her. She wasn't his girlfriend .Jamiee was his girlfriend. Was the woman that he loved. He loved her very much, and what he had done with Aria was going to devastate her.

Finally, he realized he wasn't going to get anymore papers graded tonight, so he decided to grade the rest in the morning . He got up, and then he headed out of his office to go into his bedroom, resisting the temptation to go into the kitchen and grab another beer out of the refrigerator. He took a quick shower, and then he left out the bathroom without bothering to shave as he threw on a pair of dark wash denim jeans, then he pulled a red striped t-shirt over his head that squeezed his athletic arms, and then he stepped into a pair of comfortable loafers. His mind wandering off once more, going back to the night in her hotel room when she had been having one of her nightmares. When he had finally found out what those printed puzzling words in her diary meant. He would never forget how her piercing screams had drew him out of bed with lightening speed. He still could hear the drumming in his ears from his racing heart. He remembered how his need to get to her was almost painful. He couldn't run fast enough. The power of his bare feet hitting the floor with a resounding noise in the dead of night.

How he had to get to her to make sure she was all right. Experiencing that strong achy need inside of himself to protect her. The strength of that growing need had frighten even him. He had never wanted anything more in his life, then to go to her. To be with her. He had to go to her. It was like he was being summoned to her, and the potency of that command was climbing by the minute. He had felt a tightening in his chest as he had saw the glistening tears in her big brown sullen eyes. Had witness the fear, sadness, and guilt in them. He had wanted to comfort her without question. To hold her in his arms as he assured her that everything would be okay. That he was there for her. That nothing would be able to touch her as long as he was holding her body close to his.

He remembered taking her into his arms as he rocked her body with his as though it was the only right thing in the world. Like he had every right to hold her like that. How he had wiped her warm tears away from her beautiful face. How he had brushed away the long dark mass of her glorious hair from out of her face, loving the feel of velvety hair slipping through his fingers. How he had kissed her head repeatedly as the haunting words flowed from out of her luscious lips like liquid sparkling water. He had felt so right holding her in his arms. Like she belonged there. She had trusted him wholeheartedly, opening herself to him like a willing rose. And then he had kissed her. He had really kissed her. He didn't understand why he had exactly did it. It had happened without much consideration on his part. He was becoming like her when it came to being impulsive. The confusion in both of their eyes, because something had happened, but they couldn't explain it. They didn't know how to simplify it. He now knew that he cared about her. Not loved, but cared about her. Why was he convincing himself so adamantly that he didn't love her? What was the reason? He hadn't even known her for all that long.

He thought again of the consequences if anyone found about him sleeping with Aria. The fall out would be disastrous. Especially with everyone judging him. He would ultimately lose his job, he wouldn't be able to teach in another school system again, he would lose Jamiee and he would end up facing jail time, and he would undoubtedly ruin Aria's whole life. He automatically knew if people did find out, that he would protect her by taking all the blame. He wouldn't stand for them turning her world upside down. He won't allow them to paint her in a negative light. The main focus should remain on him as it should. He didn't care about them doing it to him, but not her. He was willing to do and say whatever it took to make sure that she was left out of this. That her name would still be intact after this. He could careless about himself.

He could visually imagine the headlines on newspapers, and his name being splashed across the media. His picture and name on every television, and his name on everyone's lips. They would try to make his life a living hell. He could even depict all the deplorable things that they would say about him. They would call him dishonorable, they would say that he's dishonest, they would call him a rapist, and a child molester. Those two words leaving a sour taste in his mouth. The law wouldn't care if she had consented, or not. They would call him a predator, and a monster. Those words would hurt his character, but they wouldn't break him. He was made out of much tougher skin. The only words that could really hurt him were the words that came from his own family. He didn't want to think about the disappointment and melancholy in their eyes. They had been there for him, his entire life. Would they turn their backs on him? He would understand if they did, and he wouldn't fault them at all for it.

Ezra grabbed his car keys from off the kitchen counter, then he pushed his wallet deep down into his back pocket, and then he left out the door, locking it behind him. He had to go grocery shopping. His refrigerator and cabinets were nearly bare, and he had to cook dinner for him and Reed tonight. He had called Reed early this morning, and told him that had to talk to him about something important, so he should come over because he was making dinner. He had to tell him about him and Aria. About him sleeping with her. He trusted him that much not to betray his trust. He knew that he was going to be asking a lot of his friend. The supermart wasn't that far from his apartment, so he made it there in no time. He parked, and then he got out, heading inside the partially dead store. He couldn't believe that it was so empty. It was only 7 O'clock . He gave a careless shrug of his shoulder, before grasping a small shopping cart and pushing it to where he wanted to go.

He visited the produce section, then he went down to the dairy section and then he visited the bread aisle, next he went down the snack and alcohol aisle, and then he visited the frozen food section before getting in line. He paid for his groceries, and then he left out the store with the rest of its declining patrons, heading back to his car. Once there, he loaded up his trunk with the countless bags of food. He then got into his car, and then he headed in the direction of home, not fully paying attention to where he was going as his mind strayed away from him yet again as he thought back to waking up in his hotel bed the next morning after taken Aria the night before.

How everything came tumbling back to him like a ton of bricks. About what he had let happen between him and Aria. He was sort of in denial of what he had done until he saw the bed sheets that was covered with her blood, her cum, and his dry semen . Felt the burning sensation on his shoulder, back, and ass. Felt how drain of energy he was. Saw how the bed was a total mess, and how his clothes had been thrown about everywhere. He had been filled with so many mixed emotions as he had let housekeeping in to clean the room, explaining to both ladies that he had cut this thigh really severely and had to get stitches. He had taken a hot shower to relax his muscles, to clear his mind and to collect his thoughts, and to think of what action to do next, but images of Aria naked beneath him flashed through his membrane which made that next to impossible. But then he had saw her when he had walked out of the bathroom, and he had wanted her all over again.

Had felt the huge erection pushing up against the front of his jeans as his eyes swallowed her in, wanting a way out to get to her. Wanting to be deeply buried within her once more. Needing to feel her wetness soaking him thoroughly. Starving to feel her clamped walls constricting around him over again, but he had hastily composed himself enough to see that she had brought them breakfast as his eyes glanced down at the green takeout bag in her hand, and then he had looked towards the two white Styrofoam cups of steaming coffee that was nestled close in her other arm, imprisoned against her ample breast. Her face had looked absolutely radiant, enhancing her already gorgeous features. He had loved the way she had ran a swift hand through her hair, and he had watched it as it rose and fell back down in disarray. In that moment she had truly been the most perfect and lovely creature he had ever lain eyes on. He still wanted her. He didn't think that he could ever not want her.

Aria couldn't fool him. Not totally. He had seen how Jamiee's untimely arrival just outside his hotel door had affected her. He had saw it in her face, had heard it in the dying of her bell chiming laugh, and he had read it in her body posture. Maybe he should have mentioned it the day before that Jamiee was going to be coming by to see him, but he hadn't been thinking about that. He had forgotten himself that she was coming to see him, and only remembering when he had heard the knock at the door and the sound of her voice. He had tried to explain. Had wanted to explain to her, but she wouldn't let him. He had only interpreted what she had said with her distant eyes. That he didn't have to. That she wasn't his girlfriend. That she was just his student. Just his lover, and then she had torn her hand from out of his. He had grown angry at her rejection of him, which was stupid. He was the cause of this. He had felt fucking lousy. Here he was having made love to her last night, and then she had to deal with Jamiee showing up the next day. He hadn't wanted to hurt her. He had warned her.

An angry honking horn sounded from behind him, snapping him from out of his profound thoughts. He shook his head free, then he turned right at the stop light, and then he pulled into the first big parking lot he saw, really taking in his surroundings now and he cursed loudly at what he saw. One of the buildings staring back at him was the book rack. Aria's work of employment. How in the hell did he end up here if he was on his way back home? Was he seriously going loco? What was wrong with him? Aria stayed even more on his mind since their night together. He looked at the building longingly, desiring to go inside to see her. To talk to her, but he knew that wasn't such a good idea. It would definitely turn out fatal if he was to go in there, already knowing his intention. No, he had to remain strong. Had to keep his distance as much as possible. He couldn't risk letting her know that there was a possibility they could have sex again. If he did, then he knew that she wasn't above using that to her advantage. She wanted him again as much as he wanted her again.

The aching need to be inside of her heat was killing him. God, he wanted to fuck her again. Fuck her until she wasn't able to walk straight the next day. He wondered if she was working tonight. Fuck her everywhere in his apartment. On his bed, in his shower up against the wall and on the floor in his office, in his laundry room on top of his washing machine and dryer, on the pull out bed in his front room, on top of his kitchen table, and on his kitchen counter. Shaking his head for the millionth time, he ran furious fingers through his hair, before starting up his car again and heading home for real this time.

He couldn't believe how he had behaved like a jealous idiot when he had saw Aria and Adam together so intimately again, standing so closely and about to give into a shared kiss. It had felt like something inside of him had erupted. He wasn't proud of his behavior. He had acted like some jealous teenage school boy. He had watched them arrive on their designated floor as he was filling up his bucket with ice cubes. How their bodies had brushed together as they had walked side by side. How their hands were intertwined, swinging back and forth, before falling apart as they reached her room door. The smiles on both of their faces. His hurt had been staggering. She had just told him a day before that she didn't want Adam. That she wanted him. The look of want clearly written on her face told the story differently. He wasn't a blind man he knew the signs. He had read it in her body language, and in her facial expressions. He had felt like such a fool to believe otherwise. He was grounded in place and unable to move, force to watch the scene playing out in front of him like a bad dream.

He couldn't understand how she could act like last night hadn't happen. Act like they didn't have world moving sex. How she could just hold his hand so naturally. How she could stand to have his body so close to hers, when it had crumbled under his touch. How she could just let him kiss her mouth. His mouth. It had belonged to him. The same mouth that had been glued to his fiercely as he had pushed his cock into her tight space over and over again as she had screamed so thunderously. The fury in him had reached a boiling point. He had been dangerously angry. At Adam, but also at her too. And when he had saw that Adam was leaning in to kiss her, and that she was going to allow it, it had infuriated him even more. He was almost daring for Adam to disagree with him about ending his night with Aria. He had really wanted to punch the kid out. Had read the perplexed look in his eyes, because he couldn't comprehend the show of resentment directed towards him. He hadn't cared about being cold to him, but he had hated being cold towards Aria. It had made him physically ill to treat her that way. She had done nothing wrong. He was the one that said that they couldn't go there again, so why had he been expecting her to wait? He wrestled with himself not to act so coldly to her, but he just couldn't see past his anger. He regretted that so much now, but he couldn't turn back the clock. If he could, then he would in a second.

Ezra was chopping up onions and green bell peppers and was getting ready to sauté them, when he heard a knock at his door. He yelled come in, not bothering to look up from the sizzling frying pan as the door opened. He already knew that it was Reed. He gave him a nod of his head, before gesturing towards the kitchen table where two cases of cold beer sat. Reed grinned at him, slapped him playfully on the back, and then he headed for the table. He flung a white dish cloth over his shoulder, before grabbing a knife and slicing two long sub rolls open, then using a cooking brush he smeared on some butter on both sides of the loaves of bread, and then he popped them into the already preheated oven. He stirred the contents of the frying pan, before leaving it to simmer. He wiped the sweat from his brow, then he walked over to the cupboard to take down a big bag of plain potato chips and a can of French onion dip, and then he went over to join Reed at the table, the wonderful aroma filling the air and following him.

"So, how is everything with you and Samantha?" Ezra asked Reed as he grabbed a beer from out the pack, before snapping the top off and drinking some.

"We're good. Our relationship is still progressing slowly," Reed said smiling as he sat down his beer, and then he opened the bag of chips and stuffed some into his mouth, ignoring the dip for now. "I really think I love her man, and that she's the one".

"When I'm I going to meet her?" Ezra asked, smiling and feeling happy for the first time this week. He was so happy for his long time friend of many years. He really did deserve the chance to love again, and to have someone who loved him back unconditionally. "I don't think. I know that you love her. By the way you talk about her continuously, the way you smile when you speak about her, and from that light in your eyes. Does she love you too?"

He got up to move the frying pan to the back aisle of the stove, then he opened the oven door and took out the golden brown loaves of bread, sitting the hot pan down on top the stove top, and then he opened the freezer to grab the box of frozen steaks, tossing six onto another frying pan, before gripping the handle gingerly, and then placing it over the blue flickering flames.

"I was thinking all four of us could go out Saturday. When does Jamiee get back from New York?" Reed asked as he threw back the last of his beer, and then taking another one from the case. "And I know that she loves me. I don't know how I know, but I know. I can really see myself spending the rest of my life with her".

"Jamiee is scheduled to be back Friday. What do you have plan for Saturday?" Ezra asked as he started to break up the defrosting meat with a big sliver spoon, watching as it turn from red to brown. "So, she's really the one, huh?"

Leaving the sizzling meat for just a minute, he headed over to the refrigerator and took out the packs of provolone and swiss cheese, putting it down onto the counter top, and then he headed back over to the frying pan.

"I really think so. I can't help but love her man. She's so different from all the other women that I've dated before" Reed said with sureness in his voice as he grabbed a chip and dipped it into the onion dip, and then he brought it to his mouth. "Some nights I stay at her house and some nights she stays at my apartment. And I was thinking that we could all go bowling, and then we can go out to eat afterwards".

"She's a nurse right?" Ezra asked, wanting to make sure he had it correct. "And that could be eventful".

"Yep," Reed said with confirmation as he nodded his black head, and then he sipped some more of his beer. "Very handy for practices and games".

"That's definitely a perk" Ezra said laughing as he turned off the aisle of the stove.

"I like to think so," Reed said as he laughed right along with him. "Have you heard about the teacher state conference that's for five weeks?"

"I did. We had a meeting about it this afternoon" Ezra said as he added the meat into the sub rolls, then he spooned out the sautéed onions and green bell peppers on top of the meat, and then he put two slices of provolone and swiss cheese on both subs, before putting the subs into the still hot oven to melt the cheese. "You going if they can find someone to teach all your classes for the whole duration?"

He headed back to the table to join him again, picking up his unfinished beer, and then he chugged it down.

"That's what they told me this morning," Reed said as he munched on more chips and dip. "I'll need to work on my lesson plans for those weeks. Are you going?"

"I have no clue yet, but I'm pretty certain that I'll find out tomorrow if I get pick to go" Ezra said, swallowing the last drop of his beer, and then he dunked a chip into the French onion dip, before putting it into his mouth.

"Obviously, you wanted to talk to me about something important…" Reed starting out, his green eyes holding his blue ones, expressing to him that he probably wasn't going to like what he had to say. "How was your trip?"

"I did," Ezra said with emptiness in his voice as he stared in his eyes, before dropping them and sighing as he shook his head. "I knew before the trip. I knew it was going to happen. I still can't believe that I crossed that line. I mean I went against everything I knew and was taught. Especially about right and wrong. I just had to have her. I was done with fighting her. Done with denying myself".

"You're talking in riddles. What are you talking about?" Reed asked with a look of confusion, but having a sneaking suspicion he did know.

"Aria went on the trip" Ezra forced out with difficulty as he met his friend's eyes once again, but before he could say more, Reed interrupted him.

"No! Don't tell me you did that man! Did you, did you really have sex with her?" Reed asked him angrily mixed with disbelief, not wanting to believe that his friend would actually go there. "What were you thinking? Did you think at all? Man she's a minor, and she's your student. Do you understand the seriousness of the situation? You could go to jail dude. I can't believe that you would do something so idiotic. I know that you said that you was attracted to her, and that you were sexually drawn to her, but I didn't think that you would really sleep with her. God, man you screwed up big time".

"I did. I slept with her, and I deserve your anger" Ezra said in a quiet and calm voice, not wanting to argue with him as he stared into his face, because some part of him knew that he was right in what he was saying. Still seeing the visible disbelief in his eyes, he continued on. "I didn't think about anything. I just didn't care at that moment in time. The only thing I wanted was to be inside of her. And don't look at me like that Reed. I battled with this. Everyday I saw her, everyday she was in my class, everytime she came onto me and everytime I talk to her, but I am only human. I couldn't fight her anymore. I couldn't deny myself anymore. I made a choice that night, and now I'm going to have to live with it. I feel anger, guilt, and regret at my decision".

As Ezra looked into his friend's eyes, he knew that he believed him.

"How did it happen?" Reed asked in a less upset voice as he grabbed himself another beer, before passing one to him.

"She was having a nightmare and I comforted her, then I asked her to tell me about her dream, and then she began to tell me about her older sister dying in a fire after saving her. And she was blaming herself and I…" Ezra explained in a dreamlike voice as he took the beer in his hand, not really feeling it, or seeing it. "I just wanted her to stop faulting herself. To stop blaming herself for something she had no control over. I just wanted her to focus on being there with me, rather than thinking about the past, but it was like my words weren't enough and I kissed her. That kiss…Reed I never kissed her that way before. You know what happened next".

"Did you at least give her a chance to back out?" Reed asked, before taking a long generous sip from his bottle, and then he sat it back down on the table.

"I tried, but she was determined to have me," Ezra said as he put down the untouched beer in his hand, then he got up to cut off the oven, and then he took out the cheesy subs, placing the pan on top the stove.

They smelled so mouthwatering, he thought as he took two plates from the clean dish rack. Using a spatula and his hand, he placed the two subs on the plates, and then he balanced the two plates in both of his hands with ease as he walked back over to the table, handing Reed his.

"Thanks," Reed said, not wasting anytime biting into the enormous sub, and then moaning as the favors ignited his taste buds. "I almost forgot how good you make these. What are you going to do about Aria?"

"You're welcome," Ezra said, biting into his own sub as he felt his appetite retuning. "I told her that we couldn't go there again, and that I'm going to keep as much distance between us as possible".

"You really think she's going to listen?" Reed asked as he took another huge bite from the sub.

"No, I don't. Aria is very persistent" Ezra said, knowing how Aria's mind worked as he drank some more of his beer. "She wants me again, but I can't lie. I want her again too, but I won't cross that line once again".

"You have to promise me that you won't sleep with her a second time" Reed said with dead seriousness hinted in his voice as his eyes locked with his in an intense stare down, neither friend backing down as the air rippled with electricity. "I'm asking you for the sake of our friendship man don't touch her again. The school year is nearly about over, so continue to try to resist her a little more longer".

"I won't touch her again," Ezra promised easily, without much difficulty. He wasn't going to risk losing his friend. His brother for lust. He was vowing here and now that he wouldn't give into temptation again. "I never wanted this Reed".

"I know, I know. I truly believe you," Reed said with sad eyes as he gazed into his face, shaking his head like he wanted this to be a bad dream. "You know that I love you, and that I'll stand by you no matter what, but I won't support you if this happens again".

Ezra knew from the finality in his voice, that Reed was bluntly telling him that he would turn his back on him.

"I understand, and I respect you," Ezra said, not expecting anything less from him.

Reed just nodded his head as though to say okay then.

"What about Jamiee, are you going to tell her?" Reed asked as he picked up his beer, tipping the bottle towards his mouth. "This is going to hurt her".

"Yeah, she needs to know the truth. I have to tell her," Ezra said in a breathy tone as he cradled his head in his hands, wanting nothing more than to will this all away. He wasn't looking forward to confronting Jamiee with the truth, but it had to be done. "I don't want to hurt her, but I can't live with myself if I withheld something this crucial from her. I love her".

"Even if you risk losing her over this?" Reed asked him, wanting to know if his friend had thought this through.

"Even if I lose her," Ezra said regrettable as he nodded his head, his eyes staring blankly at his plate.

After Reed had gone, he washed the dirty dishes in the sink, and then he finished grading papers, choosing not to wait until the morning. He was suffering from a killer headache as he thought about Aria, Jamiee, and about what he had to do when it came to both of them. He was doing exactly what he said he didn't want to do. Hurting her and Jamiee. He was simply at a cross road, his undeciding future looking back at him. Any lust, or emotion he felt for Aria had to be locked away. He wasn't bound to let it happen twice. He meant what he said to Reed. Aria couldn't be anything more than his student. It was going to be hard for him not to think about her loveliness. About her sexiness, and about sleeping with her. He hoped that Jamiee would be able to forgive him. That was all he was asking for, but he had no right to . She didn't owe him nothing. He was the one that was having the affair. The one who was being unfaithful. He would tell her everything, but he would leave out Aria's name, and that she was his student. Would they work it out? Could they move forward from this? With all the heartache and unfaithfulness? Needing to know, he picked up the phone, and then he dialed her number, waiting for her to answer as he played out the different scenarios in his head. She finally answered the phone.

"I need to talk to you," Ezra said thickly into the receiver, before blowing out a heavy breath.

**There you go. What did you think of this chapter? Let me know by reviewing me!. Next up, Aria's POV.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

**Aria POV**

Aria left out the school parking lot, heading home without making any sudden stops, or taking any shortcuts. She was so elated that she didn't have to work tonight. She had a ton of homework that she had to complete. She turned on the radio, seeing if she could find something that was worth listening to. When she couldn't find anything, she turned the radio back off. She began to sing a song that she had made up off the top of her head, her beautiful, strong, and soulful voice filling her car and ears as though it was washing over a raging sea to calm it down.

It was about forbidden love between a young man, and a young woman. Defied by society to be together, so they meet once a week secretly to give in to their love, but they soon get discovered out and are shunned by everyone they know. But they don't care, because they can finally be together at last. The words for the song just came naturally, flowing from out of her sensuous mouth. She knew all too well about forbidden passion, she thought as she ended the song on a low note. Knew all too well how uncontrollable it was. She turned the radio back on, not really paying attention to what was thumping from out of the speakers as her mind drifted off. Entrapped in its own dimension.

She couldn't stop thinking about her night with Mr. Fitz. The night she had given him her virginity. She shivered, feeling chills as her body tingled as it remembered the weight of him, the feel of his gentle hands, the feel of his mouth and tongue , the thrusting of his big cock inside of her secret place, and the smoldering look in his eyes as he had stared down into hers. Her pussy and breasts ached with need. Need of wanting him again. She became wet and swollen, her pussy juices soaking her panties. She hissed as her nipples grew erect, straining against her bra. Her body screamed out for release. She groaned, needing to masturbate to relieve the pain.

All she needed was two fingers. Two fingers to thrust up into her pulsating heat, her inner walls clenching up around her fingers as she erupted onto the sheets of her bed. She had been masturbating every since she had gotten back home from the trip. It should have been considered a crime for the way she was abusing herself. Pleasuring herself. Her body couldn't stop fiending for his. Every night she closed her eyes she was plagued by their verboten night together. Her eyes , and her hands remembered every square inch of his body. Every curve, and every ridge of his body. Every single detail there was to know about him. She knew it. Every scar, and every mole. God, he had been such a gorgeous man. He was her handsome Ezra. Her secret lover. The only man that she had let see inside of her. Had let pierce her virgin walls.

She could still feel the heat of his body. Still could feel his movements on top of her as he fucked her harder, and deeper and deeper into the mattress. She never knew that she could be fucked so good. Could still taste a drop of his sweat on the tip of her tongue. Still feel the way her nails had clawed into his flesh. Feel the way she had gripped his ass. Still felt the support of his hand on the small part of her back. Still felt the way he had grasped her thighs to bring her body closer to his. Still saw the red marks he had left behind as a reminder on her creamy white skin. Could still feel as the sheets brushed her skin repeatedly as her body moved against their softness. He had pumped so deeply into her, over and over again. She still felt the aftershocks of her multiple orgasms. Still felt the tingling in her toes before they had curled. She couldn't get the sound of his groans and grunts out of her head. Still felt the sweet pressure of his squeezing, and tugging of her breasts and nipples. Still felt that growing funny feeling in the pit of her stomach everytime he would thrust his dick in and out of her, burying himself to the hilt each time, pushing her beyond the boundaries.

Every night she would dream of him. Dream about what he had done to her body. How her body had became mush underneath his touch. Every night she would wake up in a cold sweat, her pussy begging to be fucked again. Pleading mercilessly. Her breasts and nipples wanted to be patted, and sucked again. Her body burned with his searing kisses. Her long pale legs wrapped securely around his waist. She felt like a drug addicted. She had to have him. She wondered if he was also having a hard time like she was. Of course he was. She thought with a sinister sexy smile.

She shook her head as she pulled into her drive way, Adele's Someone Like You playing on the radio. The British woman had such a powerful, and beautiful voice. She hummed along , not really singing as she parked, then she cut her car off, and then she got out and grabbed her backpack and handbag from off the backseat. Then she headed towards the house, inserting her key, and then she opened the door and went inside, dropping her things at the door before locking it back. She walked into the kitchen intending to make herself a turkey, ham, and cheese sandwich. Her thoughts all about Mr. Fitz once again.

Her attempts to try to get him alone had failed miserably. Everytime she would try to stay after class he would either hurry out of the room, engage another student in conversation, or pretend like she wasn't there. She had even tried catching him alone during his free period, but he would always be surrounded by other teachers. She had even made a habit of staying after school late when she didn't have to be at the book rack, but he had still found some kind of way to escape her grasp. God, he was so frustrating, but she was determined to succeed in getting him. She understood him wanting to do the right thing. Well, maybe she didn't. Why was he making it so hard for her to be with him again? To be inside of her? To bring her body to rapture? She hadn't miss the looks of overwhelming lust bursting from his eyes when he would watch her in class day after day when no one was watching him. She had loved it. Loved that she was all he could think about. Could want so desperately.

She had started tormenting him in class. The way she would swish her ass when she knew that he was looking, grinning as he swallowed and looked away. The way she would bit and chew on her bottom lip with extra attention, knowing that it drove him crazy. The way she would stare at him from under her long lashes, the look filled with so much red hot heat. The way she would run one hand so sexually, and slowly through her rich dark mass of hair, knowing that he remembered the texture of it. The way she would form certain words with her mouth, knowing that it would leave him speechless, and incoherent. The way she would speak indirectly in class, and the way she would brush him, or touch him very innocently as other students looked on without causing them to grow suspicious.

Aria drank her glass of water, then she got up with her dirty dishes, walking over to the sink to wash them, before heading back out into the hallway to grab her stuff by the door, and then she headed upstairs to her bedroom. She was home alone. Byron and Ella were out of town until the weekend, and Mike was staying with some friends tonight. Hearing as the house creaked with old age. She threw her backpack down onto her bed, then she sat down her handbag on her desk, before heading into her colossal bathroom.

Spencer, Hanna, and Emily were coming over for a couple of hours to hang out with her. She missed spending time with her friends. They had so much catching up to do. She did learn from Spencer that she was dating Wren now, and Hanna had told her that she was interested in some new guy name Caleb that was new to their school. She ran herself a hot bubble bath, then she went over to the mirror and pinned her hair up so it wouldn't get wet, and then she discarded her clothing and stepped into the tub. She sighed deeply, letting the soothing water flow over her body as she leaned her head back against the bathtub. Engrossed in her ongoing thoughts, absentmindedly reaching over for her wash cloth and her blue bar of flowery soap.

She thought of Wes. About how she had broken up with him. It hadn't been an easy task. She had invited him over to her house after school on Monday. She had told him in no uncertain terms that she didn't want to be with him anymore. That he didn't do anything wrong. That her heart wasn't into their relationship anymore. She had made sure that she hadn't sound too eager to break up with him. That she wanted something different. Wanted someone different. That he was truly a great guy, but he deserved someone that could give him what he needed. That she didn't want to mislead him by stringing him along. That they didn't love each other, which was true. She never told him that she was in love with him, and he had never told her that he was in love with her. That it was better for both of them to call their relationship to an end now, rather than later. That they could just be friends, but nothing more. Let's just say he hadn't digested the news well. He had tried to get her to reconsider, but she wouldn't. He had asked for the name of the guy she was leaving him for, but she didn't tell him. Of course she wasn't stupid enough to mention Mr. Fitz's name. If it was any other guy, then she would have told him. He had heard from his buddies around school and on his swim team that she was hanging out, and going with Adam now. He had confronted her about it, but she had denied the allegations, not caring if he believed her, or not. But it was somewhat true. She was spending a lot of time with Adam. He had even caught them together as Adam had walked her to her morning classes, and they had almost gotten into a fight.

Getting out the tub, she grabbed a towel and dried herself off, and then she wrapped the towel around her body. Water still glistening on parts of her body. She reached down into the now cold water to pull the stopper out, watching trace fixed as the water disappeared from sight. She blinked, then she got up from off her knees, and then she headed into her bedroom, stopping shortly to click on her big flat screen TV that was hanging on her wall. Then she went to grab the remote controller off of her desk, then she turned to the weather channel, before tossing the long device back down onto her desk again. She listened avidly to the chubby weatherman as she went around her room rambling through her closet and dressers for something to wear.

She seriously would have to do some donating to her local Goodwill. She didn't see the point of throwing away perfectly good clothes, when the less fortunate could have it. She knew for sure that they kept a lot of empty cardboard boxes in the storage room at the book rack. She heard as the red faced and out of breath weatherman said that a huge thunderstorm was headed their way filled with lots of heavy rain, flooding, and lightening. Great, she mumbled under her breath, before chewing on her bottom glossy lip as her eyes scanned the mountains of clothes staring back at her, waiting on her undecided decision.

Finally, she grabbed what she wanted to wear along with her under garments, and then she went over to sit down at her vanity table. She lotion her body down her body, her hands grazing along her smooth feeling skin. Every small touch was sensitive to her, her whole body tingling with sensation. The sex groan that slipped passed her full lips. She got up, and then she walked over to her bed, unwrapping the red towel from her voluptuous body and letting it fall onto the floor like a lightweight feather. She was glad to have been blessed with a banging body. The airy air feeling good against her naked body frame. The way her ass bounced whenever she walked, and the way her breasts jiggled whenever she made some kind of movement as she got dress.

She encased her round breasts in a black and deep green push up bra, reaching around her back to hook the clips together, then she wiggled her curvaceous hips into the matching panties, and then she struggled into a pair of plum corduroy leggings that shaped her ass and hips, before pulling a black t-shirt she had purchase at the hotel gift shop over her head. Then she held onto one of her bedpost as she slipped on a pair of comfortable ballet flats.

Aria headed back over to her vanity table. She pulled the black hair pins from her hair, watching in the mirror as her fetching hair fell down around her shoulders and back. She ran delicate fingers through the thick mass of hair, before pulling it back into a ponytail. She didn't bother with putting on make up. She thought she still looked cute without it. She just applied more clear lip gloss to her lips before she got up. She clicked off her TV, then she collected the damp discarded towel on the floor, and then she walked into her bathroom and threw the towel into the bathtub, promising to wash it with the others later.

She was just leaving out her room and bumbling down the stairs, singing a happy tune, when the doorbell rung. She knew that it had to be Spencer, Hanna, and Emily. She wasn't expecting anyone else. She called out, telling them that she was coming. A huge smile plastered on her attractive face as she reached the bottom of the steps. She didn't waste anytime opening, and yanking back the door to reveal the faces of her closest friends since childhood. She gave each of them a tight hug, before leading them into the kitchen as they all talked excitedly. They all washed their hands at the sink, before taking out the ingredients to make homemade cookies.

She preheated the oven to the approximate time, and then she went back to stand at the spacious counter with the girls as they all started to make their favorite cookies. She was making sugar cookies with sprinkles. Spencer was making oatmeal cookies with raisins. Hanna was making chocolate chip cookies with white nuts, and Emily was making cinnamon cookies. They continued to talk and laugh some more, their hands getting stained with either sugar, milk, eggs and flour, chocolate, or cinnamon. They were all laughing as Hanna got her measuring wrong. Laughing at her as she got flour on her face and nose, or laughing at Emily as she dropped her bowl of mixture. Who knew that making cookies would be such hard work.

"So, Spence, I heard that you're dating Wren now," Aria said with a little smile forming on her lips as she arranged her cookie dough on the long pan. "Who is he?"

She licked some dough from off her fingers.

"Well, he's Melissa's boyfriend for starters" Hanna said as she popped a white chocolate chip into her mouth, and then she put another one inside her mouth, munching away, noting caring that Spencer was giving her a dirty look. "He's very easy on the eyes. I especially love his british accent".

"Actually, he's Melissa's ex boyfriend Hanna," Spencer corrected her as she continue to give the blonde headed girl an annoyed look, before she went back to spooning out her cookie batter, resisting the urge to eat some. "And his name is Wren Kim, and he's a third year residency at Rosewood memorial Aria".

"Still, I bet Melissa's not too thrill about the idea" Hanna said laughing, just before eating another white nut.

"I suppose she hates me even more now," Spencer said with laughter as she put her batch of cookies into the oven with Aria's. "Honestly, though me and Melissa have never gotten along, but I don't care. I like Wren, and he likes me, so I'm not going to let Melissa ruin this. Besides, she's the one that dumped him for another guy".

"True," Hanna said as though Spencer made a valid point as she stirred her bowl of cookie dough, before dropping more white chips into the bowl.

"Easy on the white nuts Han," Emily said as she took the half empty bag from her. "I want to have some softness still left in my cookie".

"Sorry Em," Hanna apologized with a smile. "But you know how I am with delicious nuts".

"Believe me I haven't forgotten" Emily said with a soft laugh as she went to the refrigerator to stash away the bag of white nuts, and then she went back over to the counter and made up her cookies.

"Hanna are you still dating Luke?" Aria asked as she handed them each a bottle of green tea from out the refrigerator, and then she unscrewed her top off and took a sip of her tea. "Those cookies smell really good".

"They are just about done" Spencer said as she opened up the oven door to peak inside. "Need some help Em?"

"Sure," Emily said smiling as she made some room for Spencer beside her at the counter, their shoulders bumping.

"Yes, we are very much still together," Hanna said, not sounding all that happy about it as she put her batch of cookies into the oven on the bottom row, and then using a careful hand, she took out Spencer and Aria's cookies, before sitting them down on top the stove to cool down. " Don't get me wrong I love Luke. I mean we're practically sweethearts, but…".

"But what Han?" Aria asked her friend with soft brown eyes, grabbing a sugar cookie with sprinkles from off the pan, and then she bit into it, moaning with absolute pleasure.

"There's this new mysterious guy name Caleb Rivers at our school," Hanna said with a shy smile as she watched for her friends reactions. Scared that they wouldn't approve of her choice. Aria encouraged her silently to go on. " Well, everyone thinks he's a total bad boy, and he is, but I think that there's more to him hidden beneath the surface. I've talk to him, and hung out with him on numerous occasions. And I 'm starting to think that I really like him. Seriously, you guys, I'm strongly thinking about breaking up with Luke".

"Wow, Han that's big" Spencer said as she gave her a serious look. A look of do you know what you're doing as she took the cinnamon cookies to the oven. " I mean how much do you really know about this guy? You and Luke have been together since grade school. I just hope you don't make a mistake".

Hanna just gave her an unbelievable look as she shook her head, her eyes filling with anger as she glared at her best friend.

"That's a little harsh Spencer, and not to mention a little judgmental" Aria said, her eyes leveled with hers as she came to Hanna's defense.

"It's Hanna's choice to make Spencer, even if you don't agree, or approve" Emily said, also coming to Hanna's defense.

"I never once questioned you when you wanted to break up with Ian," Hanna pointed out with slight anger in her voice. "I have always supported you guys decisions".

"I know that Han, but I'm protective. I don't want to see you get hurt, or see you mess up something good with Luke," Spencer said, sounding motherly, and genuine as her eyes stared into Hanna's. "Just think about it before you make any rash decisions. That's all I'm asking. Just get to know him a little bit better before you decide on anything definite ".

"What do you really know about him Han?" Aria asked her as she took an oatmeal cookie from the pan, nibbling on the soft gooey cookie.

"I know that he's living with a foster family, and that he's searching for his biological mother," Hanna said as she took her white chocolate chip cookies from out of the oven. She took a steaming cookie, and then she sank her teeth into it. "And I know that he's a genius with electronics".

Spencer seemed impressed that Hanna had done her homework on the guy as she grabbed a sugar cookie.

"What are you going to do Han?" Emily asked as she took a swallow of her green tea, before she took a white chocolate cookie and bit into it.

"I don't know," Hanna said honestly as she took out a bag of colorful gummy bears to share with them. "But, I will think about it smartly".

"Thanks, Han, " Spencer said as smiled at her.

Hanna smiled back at her.

"Do you know what college you want to go to Em?" Aria asked as she changed the subject, grabbing a box of French vanilla ice cream from out the top freezer as Spencer got them all small bowls from out the cupboard.

"I have my mind set on Danby" Emily said as she handed them each a silver spoon. "A representative came out to see me swim, and he said that they would be willing to offer me a full scholarship".

"That's really awesome Em," They all echoed as they ate their ice cream.

"Thanks, guys," Emily said as she smiled at them, before she brought a lump of French vanilla to her lips, her mouth closing around the spoon.

"I have to tell you guys something," Aria began as she looked to each friend, about to reveal a secret. She would just tell them, but she won't say Mr. Fitz's name. She knew that she could trust them without a doubt, but she didn't believe they were completely ready to hear everything. Especially about her having an affair with their English teacher. She knew that they wouldn't say anything, but she still wasn't ready to risk getting Mr. Fitz in trouble. Afterall, she was the one that had came onto him first. Had pursued him relentlessly. They shared every single thing with her. She took a huge breath, wanting to share this one little thing with them. "I lost my virginity".

"We know that you called it off with Wes, was it with him?" Spencer asked smiling as she broke off a piece of cookie, and then she put it into her mouth. "I'm officially not alone in that department now".

"No, it was with an older man" Aria said, not at all embarrassed at what her friends thought about it. "You guys know that I have always been undeniably attracted to older guys".

"Do we know him?" Emily asked as she went over to take out her finish batch of cookies.

"Yes," Aria said with a secret smile as she drank some more of her green tea, and then she took her finished bowl of ice cream to the sink, not saying anything else. That was the closest she was willing to go.

"I can tell that you're not going to tell us a name, so I'm not going to even ask you," Spencer said, her voice indicating that she was fine with that fact. "Is he dreamy?"

"He's eye-filling. Every part of him is beautiful," Aria said starry eyed, looking back at that moment. "He's the most gorgeous man that I have ever seen".

"What is he like?" Emily asked dreamily, caught in the moment, wanting to know more about this secret man her friend was messing around with.

"He's like no guy I have ever known before," Aria said in a breathy voice, filled with excitement as she snatched up another cinnamon cookie, not seeing the problem in having just one more cookie. She hardly ever gain weight. "He's well traveled, he's well educated, he writes poetry and he loves English, he's sweet and kind , very thoughtful, he enjoys reading and watching old movies, he loves the art of teaching others, he's incredibly funny and he's wise, and he's honest".

"He sounds really prefect" " Spencer said, looking envious, but still looking happy nonetheless.

"How was it, your first time I mean?" Hanna asked her, wanting to hear the glory details, her eyes sparkling.

"The pain at first was agonizing, but so much pleasure came from it" Aria said, describing her night with Mr. Fitz to them, without having to leave anything out. "He was very considerate of my needs. Such full completion I experienced in his arms. He was an amazing lover. I had so many earth stopping orgasms that I lost count. It was in a bed. In his hotel room". She was about to stop, but they silently urged her to keep going. "He was very large. I can remember his persistent thrusting inside of me. So deep, and so sure. To hear his groans, and my moans mingled together. That within it self was orgasmic. The night was unforgettable".

Aria closed the door after the girls had gone. She had a great time hanging out with them. She knew that she would have to fit them in more. She was just so busy. There was school, yearbook, the poetry club, work, and going after Mr. Fitz. Which was optional. She didn't have to chase after him. She just wanted to. He was want she desired. For how long, she didn't know. She was on her way upstairs to get some much needed homework done, when her cell phone rung, jarring her from out her happiness. She tugged the phone from out of her back pocket with some difficulty, with her jeans being so tightly glued on her. She glanced at the caller ID, before putting the phone to her ear. It was Adam.

"Hi," Aria said as she smiled into the receiver, her voice sounding breathless from walking up the stairs. "What do you want? I just left you a couple of hours ago".

"Hey, what are you doing right now?" Adam asked her, sounding like he was in his car driving.

"I don't know, why?" Aria asked with a laugh, her voice full of mistrust, knowing him for the joker he was. She didn't know his intentions.

"You really need to trust me more Aria," Adam said with laughter filling his voice. "Where are you? I'm not playing any games, or pulling any kind of jokes. I'm being totally sincere right now".

"You make it very hard for me to trust you Adam. I mean sometimes I don't know whether you're joking, or being real with me," Aria said honestly as she climbed up onto her bed to sit cross legged , her free hand pulling her backpack towards her. "And I'm home".

"I swear to you, I'm being nothing but genuine with you," Adam told her, trying to convince her. "Say that you believe?"

"Okay, okay I believe you," Aria said laughing as she turned her backpack upside down, dumping out all the contents. Her textbooks, notebooks, and pens. "What do you have in mind for me?"

" I was thinking since I'm already out that I could maybe stop to pick us up some Chinese food, then I could make a pit stop at the local redbox and rent a good movie for us to watch, and then I could be at your house in no time" Adam said with seriousness in his voice. "How does that sound?"

"It sounds great" Aria said smiling as she laid down on her stomach, loving the way he made everything sound so good.

"But?" Adam asked, feeling like there was something stopping her from saying yes.

"But, I have tons of homework to do," Aria said as she blew out a breath as her eyes glazed over the assignments down in front of her. It was going to be a long, long night.

"So, I'll just help you," Adam offered with a smile that could be heard in his voice. "That way you could get done faster, and then we can still eat some Chinese food and watched that rented movie".

"No, I don't think so Adam," Aria said as she opened her math textbook, then she flipped her notebook over, getting ready to write her name on the very top of the page.

"Why not?" Adam asked as he yelled at the car in front of him for cutting him off so abruptly. " I'll be a big help".

"Because, you'll just be a distraction for me, and I don't need that," Aria said as she got up off her bed to retrieve her calculator from off her desk, and then she went back to lie down on her comfy bed. She hated Algebra. Math was definitely not her strongest point. She excelled in English and History perfectly fine. "But thanks for offering".

She still wondered what it felt like to kiss him. To feel his lips against hers. She had always wanted to know. He hadn't tried to kiss her again ever since Mr. Fitz had interrupted them that night in the hotel hallway. Maybe it was for the best that he didn't get a chance to kiss her. The only physical contact that had were hugs, they would hold hands, and he would play with her hair, running his fingers though it. It was like a part of her yawned for more from him. She loved when he would walk her to all of her classes. That he was still the same boy she had loved when she was little. She still wanted to know where the road would lead with them. Was it possible for her to be interested in two guys at once?

"I love that I'm a distraction for you," Adam said with incredibly sexiness that caused her mouth to go dry. "And you're welcome. What are you doing Saturday".

"I have to work in the morning, but I get off like 3 O'clock in the afternoon. Why?" Aria asked as she worked out the math problems from the textbook in her notebook, her fingers gliding across the calculator as she figured out the answers.

"I was wondering if you would like to come over to my house Saturday night to have dinner with my family? Adam asked, hoping she would say yes. "Lauren is going to be there too. She really wants to see you".

"Yeah, of course" Aria said without hesitation, knowing that she wouldn't be able to say no. She so badly wanted to see her old friend Lauren again. It had been too long. "Um… what time do I need to be there?"

"Great," Adam said, knowing that he was smiling once again. " And just be there around 7 O'clock".

"Okay, I'll be there," Aria said softly, before she hung up, and then she tossed the phone aside.

Aria finished her Algebra homework, and then she pulled her physics textbook towards her, getting lost in the periodic table. Physical science was complicated, but yet intriguing to her. She loved the way Mr. Ellis taught. How he made it so that it was easy to understand. How he spoke so passionate about the subject as his balding head faced them as he wrote on the blackboard. She quickly completed the textbook assignment, and then she got to work on the five work worksheets he had also instructed them to do, shaking her head at the load of course work that sat in front of her. When she got done with that, she got started on her U.S. History homework, hauling the heavy hardback book towards her, noting that she had a test in class tomorrow. Mrs. Williams sure did love issuing those out . She had to do at least four pages worth of work.

She decided to take a breather when she got to her last page, her right hand was cramping terribly. She got up from her bed and walked into her bathroom, getting a herself a cold glass of water from out the faucet. She drank it greedily, feeling loads better as she headed back into her room, burying herself once again into her coursework, desiring to get the job done once and for all.

She found herself baffled as she got to her English homework. Which was a first for her. She was usually a natural when it came to work related to the topic. She didn't quite comprehend what she had to do, or how to approach it, or what Mr. Fitz had in mind. She nibbled on the end of her black pen as she read his clear instructions for the thousandth time, trying to grasp what he wanted done. It said that she had to write an essay on one of Shakespeare's work. She got that bit, but she didn't know what major points he wanted covered in the essay, and she didn't have any of William Shakespeare's books. She suddenly had an idea. It was very spontaneous, but she loved being bold and reckless. Especially when it came to getting what she wanted. She hopped off of her bed and loaded up her book bag, grabbed her handbag and car keys, then she stored her blue umbrella underneath her arm in case it started raining by the time she got back home, and then she headed downstairs and out the door.

It made perfect sense for her to go to Mr. Fitz's apartment. I mean she didn't fully understand the homework he had given them, and that gave her an excuse to see and talk to him. A smile touched her lips at the possibilities of things that could happen between them. She had stashed two trusty condoms into her handbag before leaving out of her room. She was sure that Mr. Fitz had a box in his room somewhere. She wasn't going to let them have sex again without using protection. No matter how great it felt to go raw. To feel skin on skin contact. They just couldn't afford to be careless a second time. Which reminded her, she still had to ask him if he had pulled out that first time. Once was all it took to get pregnant. They had to be smart this go around. They had to have more self control of their lust. It was like a volcanic eruption. She was ready for him. She wasn't hurting anymore, or feeling sore. She wanted him to fuck her senseless all night. To fuck her everywhere in his apartment. She knew that he wanted to. She knew that she would be just as tight as before when he thrusted into her.

She knocked on Mr. Fitz's door, waiting rather impatiently as her whole body drummed with sensation. She was this close to seeing him again. Being alone with him again without any interruptions, or escaping on his part. She laughed softly as she shook her head. He was trapped. She chewed nervously on her bottom lip as she glanced about herself at the other closed apartment doors, hearing the blaring of televisions and laughter in the distance. She didn't know how he was going to take her just showing up at his doorstep unannounced. She didn't care if he got mad at her. She knew that he wouldn't turn her away. She knew that he had probably grown accustom to her boldness and impulsiveness by now. She looked down at her nails, scrutinizing the mint green polish as his door opened. She glanced back up, smiling with her coffee colored eyes as she took in his beautiful features, not minding the bloodshot blue eyes, or his scratchy stubble as he regarded her with meek unreadable eyes.

"What are you doing here Aria?" Mr. Fitz asked her in a tired voice as he opened the door up wider to allow her entrance, his eyes dropping down momentarily to her luscious lips, before moving back up to stare into her eyes, waiting for her to answer. "We can't do this again".

She didn't answer him right away, choosing instead to finish her suggestive survey of him with her eyes. He was wearing a blue t-shirt with a pair of blue low rise jeans, and he was barefoot. A mental picture of him standing naked before her appeared in front of her, obscuring her vision. She knew all too well what he looked like without a shirt and pants on. She had memorized his body into her mind. Just like he had memorized hers. She shook her head once more, pulling herself from out of that recollection.

"Aren't you happy to see me? Aria asked with a teasing laugh, making sure that her body rubbed up against his as she walked through the door to enter his place. Hearing as he groaned involuntarily as her eyes took in his wonderful apartment, remembering where everything was. "Have you missed me? All of me? And don't bother lying Mr. Fitz. I can see that you have".

"Aria," Mr. Fitz said with a grim warning as he shut the door, and then he turned around to face her. "Why do you insist on making this difficulty? I've told you that we can't be alone again. I'm trying not to hurt you".

She just looked back into his face, musing over his question and words. Her nose smelling whatever delicious dish he had thrown together. She sniffed the air again, smelling the distinct aroma of garlic and cheese. She refocused her attention back on him, forgetting the tantalizing smell of yummy food in the kitchen. She knew that she should just turn around and leave, but she couldn't. Her feet wouldn't budge. She was just so damn selfish. She wanted. She always wanted. She could see that her constant pursuing him, and him always resisting her was taking a toll on him. It would be so easier on them both, if only he would just submit to her again. Give into temptation once again. He would feel so much better, and he'll be able to think more clearly than he had ever had in his whole entire life.

"I just came to ask about the homework you assigned for tonight about William Shakespeare," Aria lied fluently, holding his eyes as she gave him a chaste smile as she shifted her book bag to her other shoulder. That was partly true, but not entirely. She had come because she had wanted to see and talk to him, and possibly sleep with him again. "I thought I could understand it, but I can't. I don't know what you're looking for in this essay, and I don't have any books on him whatsoever. I just have the required stories he did that are in the textbook like Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, and Macbeth, but I don't want to do those. I feel like they are overrated and that most of the class are going to be doing them. I just want to do something of his that's unique, and not have been done as much, or heard of".

She could tell that he didn't believe her completely, but she couldn't blame him. She did have ulterior motives. He didn't let his guard down, or make his appealing eyes less distinguishable for her to read them. He truly was a hard nut to crack. He frustrated her, and he infuriated her with his reluctance.

"Come with me," Mr. Fitz said as he led her into his big office with his bookshelves of many titles of books and movies of different genres. He went over to a book shelve that was over by his desk, hunching down low on his heels to shuffle through the multitudinous of books that occupied the deep mahogany shelve, beckoning her from over his shoulder for her to join him. "This is what I have of his collection, so you could just go through it and choose what you want".

She sat her stuff down on the floor by the couch, and then she went to join him, crouching down low so that she was on his level. Her body brushing his in a non-provocative fashion as her small fingers chased his along the crisp paperbacks as they outlined the different titles, bumping into his clumsily. His good smelling cologne got her pussy wet as she inhaled his scent, making her dizzy with excitement. She resisted the urge to lean in closer, knowing that he would thwart her advances in a manner of seconds.

"They are all great plays, and engaging stories" Mr. Fitz said as he gave her a sideways smile, his eyes coming to life again as he let go of his tension of being alone with her, and her being in close proximity to him." I think you'll like them very much".

"I'm sure I will," Aria said as she picked up two books in her hands as she reached over him, her fingers marveling over the breathtaking illustrations on the front covers of both sets of books as she felt him eyeing her from out the corner of her eye. Felt as his eyes traveled over her face, stopping at her lips as her teeth bit into them. She shivered as she felt the low warm current start to circulate around the room, erecting her nipples painfully. "Wow, these books are in great shape".

She risked a look his way, fully knowing the consequences, but she didn't care. She couldn't be stopped as her mouth flashed him a seductive smile, her eyes welcoming, and begging him to end both of their suffering. His eyes enlarged as they looked back up from her mouth to gaze into her eyes. Filled with a raw urgency to sex her again. To be one with her again. To be inside of her dewy castle. The books fell quietly from out of her hands as she moved closer to him without her knowledge. It was like her body had a mind of its own. His breathing deepened as her heart sped up its rhythm with anticipation, her palms becoming a sweaty mess as she gazed back into his heat infused eyes as she exhaled gasps of air, her breasts rising and falling rapidly. The air was stifling. She couldn't seem to breath as his dark head came towards hers in slow motion. Was he really getting ready to kiss her? She didn't have to do anything. He was making the first move. She was about ready to combust if he didn't hurry up and place his mouth on hers. She couldn't believe how much she wanted him. Wanted him like death himself.

Every second he spent giving her a smoldering look, she swelled more and more, and she got wetter and wetter, fearing that a pool of cum was going to appear on the floor any minute between her thighs. Her breasts were quivering like little puppies, wanting his undying attention. He was devouring her very soul. But still, he make no move to kiss her faster. She felt the impatience coursing through her veins, but she swallowed it back. Opting not to rush him. God he was maddening. She thought as she gave a sexy pout, seeing as his mouth curved into a smile as he gave a short laugh at how adorable she looked. The sound of the books hitting the floor broke their heavily sexual moment. He groaned deeply as he shook his head, pulling back from her. He blinked his eyes as though he was coming to his senses as he cleared his throat, getting to his feet to give them some much needed space.

"I-I use protective covers for all my books," Mr. Fitz stammered as he cleared his throat again, running a hand through his hair as he glanced down into her face.

They both gave a nervous laugh as her stomach grumbled loudly, defusing the awkward tension that had set into the room.

"I cooked, but it's nothing special. Would you like something to eat?" Mr. Fitz asked in a hoarse voice as he moved in the direction of the door, wanting to get away from her before he did anything else stupid pertaining to her. "I can just go round it up for us".

"Yes, what did you make?" Aria asked as she smiled up into his eyes, her tummy growling again. He laughed at her." I had a bunch of cookies, some ice cream, and a couple of gummy bears, but that was earlier before I got here".

"I made an enormous bowl of pasta salad that's in the refrigerator, and some cheesy garlic bread that's resting on the stove" Mr. Fitz said as he bent down to pick up the two books that had fallen from out of her hands, and then he placed them back onto the shelve.

"Sounds yummy," Aria said with sparkles in her eyes, telling him without words that she would rather be having him on the menu.

"Yeah, okay then," Mr. Fitz said nervously as he left out the room, her laughter following him into the kitchen.

Aria fished through each book as she searched for the one she wanted to do her essay on, reading every last back cover in plain view of her. She found each play of his fascinating, her hand finally choosing The Winter's Tale. It was about King Leontes of Sicilia who suspects that his wife Queen Hermione, and his best friend King Polixenes of Bohemia have been having an affair, and he goes to extreme measures when he lets his paranoia get the best of him. She moved over to the couch, taking the thick paperback with her, and then she got out her English notebook and her favorite black pen from her backpack. She was sitting comfortably on the floor with her back leaning against the couch, when Mr. Fitz came back into the room carrying two green bowls full of pasta, and a plate with four slices of cheese garlic bread.

"Here you go," Mr. Fitz said as he handed her one of the bowls in his hands, and then he sat down the plate of delectable smelling bread between them to share. "I see that you have found a book that was to your liking. The Winter's tale. The play is definitely one of Shakespeare's most underrated works, which is a shame. The book is incredibly moving, and exquisitely written. It displays Shakespeare's brilliance with the pen, and the fine grasp of common human nature. You made a wonderful choice".

"Thanks," Aria said as she gave him a smile of gratitude as she took the bowl from him, before she put down the book, her notebook, and her pen. "Well, it sort of caught my attention right away. I can't wait to read it. I'm dying to read about King Leontes and his crazy theory".

"You're welcome," Mr. Fitz said as he returned her smile, getting down on the floor to join her, his long strong legs hitting against hers. The contact making butterflies turn in her stomach at his closeness. "And King Leontes was a very interesting character. He never disappointed you as the reader".

"What kind of major things you want us to cover in the essay?" Aria asked as she put a spoon full of pasta into her mouth, closing her eyes and moaning at how awesome it tasted. "This is really great. No wonder it's my favorite thing to eat".

"I want to know what is the theme of the story, what is the atmosphere, who are the characters and what are their purpose, when does the story take place, I want to know what point did Shakespeare hope to make by writing this play, where did he get the idea for the story, how does it differentiate from his other works, I want to know how it's similar to real life, and what did you as the reader think of the story" Mr. Fitz named off as he cradled the bowl in his hands, eating some more of his pasta salad. "I'm glad you think so. This is like the only decent thing I can actually cook".

"I'm sure that's not true," Aria said laughing, putting down her bowl to write the important facts down in her notebook. "I bet you're a great cook".

He just smiled that beautiful smile of his and shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm not an iron chef, but I guess I'm not half bad" Mr. Fitz said as he bit into his piece of garlic bread. "What about you, can you cook?"

I know that you don't want to hear this again, but you're amazing lover Mr. Fitz, so I'm not all that surprise that you're an awesome cook too" Aria said with a sly smile graced upon her satin lips with a devious twinkle in her eyes as she stared into his eyes, seeing him grow nervous right before her eyes, feeling as his body went rigid. "And I'm a wonderful cook. I can certainly cook you something sometime either at your house, or mines. Byron and Ella are away until the weekend, so how about tomorrow night? I can make us some grilled lamb chops, and broccoli and cauliflower in a cheese sauce".

A second went by, before he said anything, gathering his thoughts. He ignored commenting back on their night together, choosing instead safe topics they could discuss without having to revisit what they had done in New York City.

"I don't think being alone with you at your place without your parents around is such a great idea Aria, nor you being here with me alone for that matter," Mr. Fitz said in a sober voice as he pushed his bowl away, his eyes staring deep into hers as he made her aware that them being alone together wasn't going to happen ever again. At his apartment, or at her house. "But I'm not opposed to you cooking for me and bringing it to school".

"So, cooking for you is definitely out of the picture then?" Aria asked with annoyance as she eat the last crumb of her garlic bread. "I really don't see the big deal of us to being alone".

"I didn't say that Aria. You know that's not what I said" Mr. Fitz said with anger. "And I do, and I think you do too. It's Dangerous. Me being near you, or you being near me without anyone else around it's perilous".

"You can't erase what happened between us Mr. Fitz. We had sex that night. Great incredible sex" Aria reminded him furiously, hating that he wanted to just act like it never happened. Act like that night was just a fragment of both their imagination. "You can't keep avoiding the subject, or me. You made the choice to sleep with me. And yes, I may have made the situation next to impossible, but still you made that choice. I didn't force you. You wanted to, because you wanted me that night. You ached for me. You wanted my lips, mouth, and my body".

"Let's not do this Aria. I don't want to argue with you, or rehash what we did "Mr. Fitz said as he got off the floor with the agility of a lion, still trying to ignore the fact that they had sex as he gathered up the dirty dishes as he got ready to take them into the kitchen. "Do you want anything to drink? I made a pitcher of fresh lemonade".

She gave a stiff shake of her head, giving him an unbelievable look. Her eyes a blaze of fire as she drilled holes into his face. She had never looked so beautiful, and more passionate to him, then she did now. Her face filled with so many emotions. She couldn't understand why he was doing this. Why was he putting that night with her out of his mind? Did he regretted it so much? Did it make it more bearable for him just to forget? Was she a walking reminder? Was she still coming on to him too strong? Maybe she should back off and let him come to her again on his own. She just felt so defeated. At a lost for what to do. Was he mad at what she had said? She had always been the one to say what she felt, and what was on her mind. She had always been so confident when it came to him. Was he getting sick of her and her tenacity? Could she be pushing him away? Or too far? He gave an audible sigh as he left her to her thoughts. She heard the running water, and the clattering of dishes as she stared blankly down at the floor.

She got up from the floor and scrambled to stuff the numerous items into her bulging book bag, and then she left out the room, heading to the front door, passing by him as he was leaving out the kitchen. A look of determination on her face. She just wanted to go. She couldn't be here right now. She had to be smart. She couldn't risk losing what little chance she still had of getting what she wanted from him. What she needed from him.

"Where are you going?" Mr. Fitz asked as his blue eyes reflected his confusion, cut off guard by her abrupt departure.

"I'm going home," Aria said shortly as if that explained everything as she made a beeline for the door as she spared him a stony look, her long ponytail whipping around along with her. One lone strand sticking to her gleaming bottom lip. Her eyes shifting to the window overlooking the busy street below, before she gazed back into his eyes. The thunderstorm had already started. She wanted to leave before it was raining harder, seeing as a flash of light struck the darkening sky as a rumble sounded thunderously throughout the tiny apartment. "It was a mistake coming here".

He moved to block her from leaving, taking away her only option for getting out. Her eyes grew icy as bricks at his interference with her goal to leave, her head going back in defiance as she crossed her slender arms over her round breasts.

"You're not going anywhere in this weather," Mr. Fitz said as though he was issuing her an order. "Don't be stupid Aria".

"Are you seriously stopping me from leaving?" Aria inquired with a bemused look in her brown eyes mixed with her apparent anger. "And now I'm stupid. Just some stupid girl huh?"

He gave a frustrating groan as he closed his eyes for a millisecond, before reopening them up again. He looked like he wanted to shake her and kiss her at the sametime.

"Why do you do that Aria, huh? Why do you take everything I say out of context?" Mr. Fitz asked as he pushed himself from off the door, moving closer to her as his eyes pored into hers. "You know that's not what I meant at all. Have you looked outside lately? It's not technically safe to venture out. Don't be so stubborn. You could get severely hurt if you were to drive home like that".

"I think I'll take my chances," Aria said stubbornly, not backing down from her decision as she tried to go around him, but he blocked her path once more, keeping her from the fierce storm that was steady brewing outside. The rain showers coming down harder against the roof. She knew that she was being silly and unreasonable. "Just let me leave Mr. Fitz, that's what you want isn't it?"

He didn't answer her, giving her a non-responsive look as he continued to gaze upon her angelic face, her face resembling a china doll. So fair and lovely as she got more infuriated with him.

"You'll stay here tonight…with me," Mr. Fitz said without much thought, shocking even himself as the words flew from out his powerful mouth.

She looked incredulously at him, letting out an airy laugh as her anger at him evaporated. This was all his doing. Not hers. He wanted this, but she wouldn't be a fool to deny him. She transformed into a sexy lioness as she quickly closed the gap between them, her eyes growing dark and dancing with profound energy as her breasts poked into his solid chest. Staring up into his face as she gave him a bodacious smile, biting her bottom lip carnally as his eyes flashed toward it. A moan sounding deep inside of her throat as she perused him with her eyes, catching his eyes once again. The look of lust appearing back into his eyes. Giving her a look like he wanted to put her through the bed. Her backpack falling from her shoulders as it fell onto the floor with a thud as she lost interest in it. Never giving it a second look. Her hand coming up to run along his neck as he tensed up, breathing fast as he swallowed, his eyes glued to hers like a life line. She felt his heat radiating off of him in great lengths as her fingers stroked him. He wanted her. Another smile pulling at her lips as she felt his hard cock protruding into her flat stomach.

"Is that really wise Mr. Fitz, huh?" Aria asked in a raspy voice as her fingers found their way into his dark soft hair. A grumbling groan sounded in the back of his throat without his control and his meaning to. "I'll be in your bed half naked. Such easy access, don't you think? Don't fight me, or it. Just let yourself feel, and let yourself get lost in my touch. You can have me again and again". Her fingers tightening in his hair. "Do you remember what it felt like to be inside of me? Of course you do". She laughed throatily at his struggling face, trying so hard to restrain himself. "I plague your dreams like you plague mine. I can feel you inside of me now. Thrusting so deep within me. My lips, mouth, and my body and soul are yours for the taking. Only you, and you alone can have me. All you have to do is give in once more". Her hand fell away from his thick hair as her fingers brushed his lips before dropping away sadly. "Can you imagine how much I want you?". His head descending down towards her trembling mouth as she waited hungrily for the littlest touch from him, her mouth slightly open. "I want you more than you could ever imagine".

He stopped himself as he felt himself being drawn towards her. About to commit another grave mistake. About to commit another sin he was going to hell for. She watched as he moved away from the closeness of her body, turning so that his back was facing her as he pulled himself together with everything he had. Her seduction of him not dying in vain as it had an equal effect on him.

"I can't do this," Mr. Fitz said in a more controlled voice as he turned back around to face her. "I only asked you to stay because of safety reasons Aria, not because I want you again. So, I'm sorry if I gave you that impression, but our night together in New York City will never happen again. I meant what I said before. I love Jamiee, Aria. I'm in a committed relationship with her. I can't hurt her again, or you. I'm your teacher, and you're my student. And it has to stay that way. I'll go get my room ready for you. You can have my bed and I'll just crash on the couch in the front room".

He left hastily out the room with her watching his retreating back as though he feared what would happen if he stayed. She still wasn't going to give up.

She woke to a loud clap of thunder, jumping up in the huge bed, before rubbing the sleep from out of her eyes. She hated thunderstorms as she looked around the dark unfamiliar room, her foggy mind forgetting where she was. Where was she? That's right she had stayed over at Mr. Fitz's apartment at his unyielding persistence. Heights wasn't the only thing she was frighten of. She was also afraid of thundering and lightening that was part of mother nature's cycle of life. She laid back down, dragging the covers up to her chin, pushing her fear aside to go back to sleep. She was drifting off to sleep, when another clap of thunder boomed through the night as a flash of sharp lightening illuminated the room as she muffled a scream, pushing back the covers and hopping out of bed. Another streak of light lit up the dark sky as she cramped her feet back into her ballet flats as another scream bubbled up in her throat, threatening to burst from her mouth. The fabric of Mr. Fitz's big t-shirt brushing her bare thighs as she practically ran from out the bedroom as another loud noise struck, the flare of lightening coming more frequently now.

Aria didn't want to be alone as her bare feet hit against the cool carpet as she made her way into the front room where Mr. Fitz was sleeping on the pull out couch, hearing him snoring loudly as she got closer to reaching him. This wasn't part of her plan for pursuing him as she climbed into the bed beside him, turning her body so that she was facing him. She just wanted comfort and a warm body close to her. She could never sleep if she was alone in a thunderstorm. He woke up instantly as he felt her presence next to him. She couldn't see his eyes, or read his facial expression, but she knew that he was peering into her face, feeling as his body went stiff.

"Aria what are you doing?" Mr. Fitz asked in a drowsing voice, thick with heavy sleep as he propped himself up on one arm, moving further back to the edge of the bed to put some distance between his naked torso and her body.

"I couldn't sleep. I'm scared of thunderstorms, and I didn't want to be by myself in your room alone" Aria said with truthfulness as she stared into his face in the dark as she propped her own self up on one arm, flipping her long hair over her shoulder, hoping that he believed her. "Sounds silly doesn't it?"

"No, that's not silly to me Aria," Mr. Fitz said with a smile in his voice as he relaxed his body at her harmless intrusion. "Some people are naturally petrified of any kind of storm. Have you always been afraid?"

"Yeah, every since I was a little girl," Aria laughed lightly at her not yet outgrown fear. "I usually sing myself through it, but I couldn't find the courage tonight".

"What can I do to help you? Sadly, I can't sing to save my own life, but I'm up to trying something else to distract you," Mr. Fitz proffered her with a laugh at his own lack of talent. "I could make you some hot tea, or some hot chocolate with white marshmallows maybe?"

"You could hold me in your arms until I fall asleep," Aria said as she snuggled up closer to his body as she reached for his arm and wrapped it around her small frame, knowing that he could feel her nipples through the thin material she was wearing as she pressed her body into his uneasy one. "I promise I won't try anything Mr. Fitz. I just want to feel your warmth enveloping me".

She knew that she had him.

"Aria, I don't know if I can," Mr. Fitz said with hesitation as his arm hung limp across her. " You can ask anything else of me".

"Sure you can. I'm so terrified," Aria whimpered pitifully as she went in for the kill, using this to her advantage as she shivered, making it more believable as she nestled up more to him.

And like magic his arms wrapped tightly around her, pulling her body even more closer to his as her face rested on his toasty chest as he sort to comfort her as his chin rested on her soft fine hair. She wrapped her arms around his body as she sleepily rubbed her tender cheek against his wonderful skin. He kissed her head as she exhaled with contentment as she felt sleep take over her form, feeling safe and secure in his brawny arms as the thunderstorm roared on.

**So, there you have it. What did you think? Did you love it, or did you hate? Review and let me know your thoughts. I really do love reading what you guys have to say. And I'm sorry for the long wait, but I have been truly busy. Up next, Ezra pov. Yay.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

**Ezra POV**

Ezra glanced down at the young beautiful face of Aria Montgomery as she lay nestled into his side, her body angled towards him so that she was facing him, her legs brought up. What the hell was he doing? He asked himself as he mutely watched as the exquisite sunrays fleeted across her face. She was still fast asleep, her fine features just as lovely, and pronounced up close even in her dream infused state as his eyes ran over her languidly. Why couldn't he just be rid of her? How did she come to be so deeply embedded in his life? Why couldn't he get her out of his head? Stop his flesh from craving hers so strenuously? Her long inky colored lashes brushed her high ivory cheekbones as her eyes darted back and forth behind her closed eyelids. He wondered what she was dreaming about so poignantly. She was a little minx. She affected his life in a major way. Being involved with her again could have his whole world turned all upside down. What the hell was he talking about? She had already turned his life upside down. She had the power to have his house of cards come tumbling down. If only he had known that she would be a problem in the beginning. A temptation. He would have had her transferred out of his class, and then none of this would be happening. He had promised Reed that he wouldn't sleep with Aria again, and he was going to keep that promise.

Her long dark flossy hair was a tangling mess as it broke away from the confinements of the scrunchie to fan around her face like a blanket, the rich brunette locks flying every which way imaginable. He still couldn't believe that she had been a virgin. He had been certain that a girl of her nature would have had her share of lovers. Had her share of different sexual encounters. She had been his first virgin. Thrusting into her little tight pussy had been the greatest thing ever. He suppressed a groan, feeling as his cock strained against the front of his pajama pants. He ached to be in her swollen walls again. He shook his head. He couldn't do this, feeling disgusted at his own perverted mind. Why did it feel so wrong for him to want her? To think of her sexually? It wasn't like he was going to touch her for a second time. To act on his impulses. He didn't see the harm in looking. As long as he didn't touch. He was human after all. The sapphire blue orbs of his eyes falling to her rosy tinged lips, feeling as he grew even larger, throbbing sinfully. The crafted lips pursed as though she was getting ready to kiss him. He groaned inwardly. He had to get her away from him, or he was going to fuck her. He couldn't let that happen again. He wouldn't let that happen again. She was off limits to him. He wasn't going to cross that line twice. Once was enough already. For the sake of his friendship with Reed, his relationship with Jamiee, and Aria's emotions, he wouldn't. His eyes traveled down her body, coming to rest on her big round breasts, seeing as the nipples poked crudely against his shirt he had lent her for the night. God, he wanted to knead them, and suck them until they became raw and cracked from his ferocious suckling. He pulled his eyes away, journeying down to her flat stomach, and continuing down, seeing as the shirt hitched up, showcasing her milky thighs. He fought with himself not to touch her. The signs of struggle clearly written on his face. He groaned again, the sound emitting from deep within his throat.

A throaty sexy laugh broke his concentration, his eyes flashed back up to hers. She was peeking out from under her fashionable lashes as her brown eyes glittered knowingly, her savory mouth curving into one of her infamous seductive smiles. How long had she been watching him watch her? He allowed his face to go blank, hiding his emotions. His lust. His eyes were guarded. He watched on as she naughtily lifted the shirt even more to show him the beginning hemline of her see through satin panties. He swallowed thickly as he saw the hair that graced her there. She was neatly shaved. He nearly had a stroke, and his eyes just about popped out of his head as her hand flew between her thighs as played with her pussy, watching on avidly as she rubbed herself sensuously. Her head thrown back as sounds of heavy panting, deep breathing, and soft moaning exploded from out her mouth. She was teasing, and taunting him with the sex filled noises she was making and displaying as she pleasured herself right in front of him. Damn her for making him want her. For making him feel this way. A bewitching high school girl having the power to make him cheat. But, he wouldn't put all the blame on her. She couldn't make him do anything he didn't want to. He had a choice. He just chose the wrong one. He had plenty enough chances to stop her from coming on to him, before things got out of hand. There were different ways he could have handled the situation. The right ones. He had to start now. His dick was humming even louder as he pulsated with energy and heat. He was swelling more and more with each sound that tore from out of her throat. She bit her bottom lip as her eyes glazed her, her hand movements rubbing faster. The scene was enough to send him over the edge. She bit her lip again, her eyes fluttering back open as they connected with his, a deep moan tingling his ears. She was just about to slip her fingers inside her panties, when his hand shot out and clamped down cruelly on her wrist. She cried out painfully, removing her hand from her person as she desperately tried to pull her hand away from his grasp. He released her as her big gorgeous eyes filled with affliction. Sometimes he didn't know his own strength.

"I'm sorry Aria, but you have to stop doing this," Ezra said hoarsely, but firmly as he got up off the pull out couch, putting some space between him and her. Aria had to know and understand that she couldn't keep being inappropriate with him. She had to know that he wouldn't keep tolerating this kind of aggressive behavior. Great, he sounded like a strict father. He didn't know what he felt worse about. Being the first man that she had ever slept with and regretting it, or sleeping with her, and then turning her down. Her beautiful doe like inspired eyes ran over his naked physique audaciously, and leisurely as she chewed on her bottom lip, before she looked up into his eyes. "You and I both know that this is wrong. I won't sleep with you again Aria".

"Is it wrong Mr. Fitz? Because I see it differently," Aria said with an enticing smile, before biting her bottom lip as she raised up on her knees. "See, I can't stop my body from wanting yours. For wanting you inside of me. Can you? I don't think you can". She laughed imprudently, her eyes shimmering with a light. "And, you are wrong. I do see us sleeping together again, and I think a part of you knows that too".

"You know that it is Aria," Ezra said angrily, his face a mask of frustration as he ignored everything else she just said. He knew that it wouldn't do neither of them any good if he commented. " I'm going to go took a shower, because I have a staff meeting to get to, so you can let yourself out when you're done".

She nodded her head, before looking at him expectantly, the light catching the richness of her hair. She really was beautiful. Her best qualities were her big eyes, lips and hair, and body. He turned around to leave, but then he turned back around to face her once more, forgetting to tell her something. His eyes first going to her bottom lip to see that she was still biting it, before his eyes finally met hers.

"Hmm… the refrigerator and the cupboards are stocked, so feel free to make whatever you like for breakfast" Ezra said nervously as he ran a hand though his bedridden hair.

"Okay," Aria said softly as she smiled up at him, fully aware that she was making him uneasy.

"Yeah, I'll just go," Ezra said as he pointed his thumb over his shoulder towards his bedroom, and then he left , leaving her to her own musing.

Ezra didn't waste much time as he showered, his thoughts going back to last night when he opened up his door and found Aria standing outside it. His first reaction was to turn her away. To tell her that she couldn't just show up at his apartment unannounced. That it wasn't appropriate. That she had to remember that he was her teacher, and that she was his student. That he saw right through her whole little ploy. But still, he had done the opposite by inviting her in anyway, knowing that it was a against his better judgment. He had gambled and he had taken a risk. He blew out an irritated breath as he ran a hand down his face, knocking the water away. It was like he wanted to keep punishing himself. He shook his head, then he lathered up his hands again, before washing his shoulders, then his well defined chest and back, and then his taut abdomen.

He was glad that there wasn't any school today. He thought as he ran soapy fingers though his wet thick dark fine hair. He could definitely get things that needed accomplished in record time. He had to grade a pile of papers, then he had to finish writing out his lesson plan for the remainder of the school year, and then he had to fill out the important paper work to be able to teach his literature course at Hollis college this summer. He was very excited about that. This would give him the opportunity to know what it's like to teach in a real college atmosphere. He wasn't always going to be teaching English at Rosewood high school. He rinsed out his hair and rinsed off his glittering body, then he turned off both knobs to shut off the hot water, and then he stepped out of the shower, grabbing a big plush towel and dried himself off, before wrapping it around his trim waist.

Ezra grabbed another towel, and then he ruffled his hair with it as he walked over to the sink, using one hand to wipe away the fog that clouded the mirror. He let the towel hang sluggishly around his shoulders as he gazed into the mirror at his reflection. His eyes were looking less red as he ran a conscious hand along his jaw line, feeling the rough unattractive stubble . He was in a serous need of grooming. He honestly didn't see why Aria still found him desirable. He was hardly looking his best. He still didn't quite understand why a girl as young and gorgeous as Aria would be interested in a man like him in the first place. Sure, he was extremely good looking, slightly older than her and he was well educated, well traveled, and they shared some things in common, but he still didn't see the draw. He was far from being prefect. He shook his head, clearing his thoughts away, and then he brushed his teeth and shaved his face. He discarded both towels before leaving out the bathroom.

His mind straying back to that intense filled moment in his office when he had shown Aria his William Shakespeare collection of famous plays. He had almost kissed her. Had almost lost control. She had done nothing to provoke him. It had been all him. He was the one that had looked at her with need. A raw hunger. He was the one that had wanted to sleep with her. To fuck her into next week. To kiss her. He had just about gave in to her. Her eyes had been welcoming. They had begged him to end both of their suffering. To quench their thirst. His cock had amplified greatly well pass the point of abnormality. Her sweet lips and her intoxicating smell had excited and lured him into their trap, reeling him in like a fish. His lust for her had consumed him completely. It had took every bone in his entire body to stop himself from kissing her and throwing her back onto the floor. His strong will had won out in the end. He couldn't think straight when he was alone with her. Around her. This was exactly why he didn't trust himself when it came to her. Why he had told her over and over again that they couldn't be alone together. She had wanted it. Had wanted everything he had been about to offer. His lips, touch, and his body.

He headed back into his bedroom, getting a whiff of the breakfast food that came emanating through the cracks of his closed bedroom door. He gave a small smile. He saw that Aria had taking him up on his offer. The delicious smells of eggs, grits and bacon, blueberry pancakes, and the strong scent of black coffee greeted his nose. He was impress. She had mention that she could cook. He wonder if it would taste as good as it smelt. What was he talking about? He didn't even know if she had made breakfast for him. He searched through his dresser and closet to find something suitable to wear to the staff meeting. It wasn't required for the teachers to dress up, but they couldn't dress haggardly either. They still had to represent the school even on their off days if they were called in for staff meetings.

He couldn't believe that the day was Friday. It felt like the week had flown by abundantly fast. His hands shuffled through the many vests, shirts and sweaters, slacks, and pants as his mind drifted back off to that moment when he had asked her to stay the night. The scene playing out vividly like a screening of a world premiere movie. How her eyes had grown dark and danced with energy. How she had ran her hand along his neck. How she had stared up into his eyes, giving him a smile as she bite her bottom lip carnally. She had mashed her body to his, her breasts poking into his chest. How she had teased him about being in his bed naked, saying that it would be easy access for him to have her. Telling him not to fight her, or their chemistry. She had told him to let himself feel, and to let himself get lost in her touch. Her exact words to him about him having her again and again. The way her fingers had ran through his hair, gripping tight. He had been so hard. He knew she had felt his protruding dick against her stomach as a knowing smile pulled at her lips. Her strawberry coated lips. The way she had asked him if he remembered what it felt like to be inside of her. Her haunting throaty laugh after she had told him that of course he did. Telling him that she plagued his dreams like he plagued hers. How she had said that she could feel him even now as he thrusted so deeply within her core. How she had passionately said that her lips, mouth and body, and soul were his for the taking. Such deep words. Then she had asked him if could imagine how much she wanted him, saying that she wanted him more than he could ever imagine. How he had been about to kiss her then. To make love to her then.

Ezra shook his head as he pushed back that memory, finally deciding on what to wear. He put on a secret wash button down shirt in Emmet tartan, then he stepped into dark Khaki pants and put on a brown belt to go with it, and then he put on a pair of brown comfortable loafers. He stashed his wallet and car keys into his pocket, then he put on his Rolex watch, and then he left out his bedroom and headed into the kitchen. A lovely picture of Aria met him, his breath catching . She looked up at him and smiled, before going back to scraping different varieties of food onto a large plate. He observed her as he walked over to the counter to pour himself a mug of coffee. He then added sugar and heavy cream, before taking a generous sip as he leaned his hip against the counter. Engrossed in the essence of her.

He couldn't get over how beautiful she was. He knew that he shouldn't be staring at her, because that would only encourage her, but he couldn't seem to tear his eyes away. She had her long dark hair twisted into a knot at the back of her head with a few loose tendrils fanning her face. Her forehead glistened with perspiration as she concentrated on what she was doing. He tried his best to ignore the jingling of her breasts at her sudden movements as he swallowed back a groan, hoping that she hadn't heard him. He kept his eyes empty as he ran his free hand down his face, giving his head a mental shake. He thicken against his pants as she leaned over to grab a fork to deposit into the plate, his shirt she had on rising to show more of her milky thighs. He cursed the manufactory that had made the shirt, before moving away with his cup of black coffee to sit down at the table. Aria walked over to him and placed the huge mountain of food in front of him, then she walked back over to the counter and poured herself a mug of black coffee, and then she came back over to join him at the table, crossing her legs as she looked over at him.

"Thanks," Ezra said with a smile as he ate a fork full of scrambled eggs with cheese. "You really didn't have to do this".

He moaned as he ate another fork full of tasty eggs and she laughed, her eyes sparkling.

"You're welcome," Aria said, before she took a little sip of her coffee, and then she pushed it away. "And I know that I didn't have to, but I love to cook.

She watched him as he tucked into his buttery grits.

"Wow, you cook better than me," Ezra said with truthfulness as he gave a laugh, before eating a strip of bacon, and then he scooped up some more eggs with his fork. He didn't mind her watching him. He just hope he wasn't making a pig out of himself. "Are you eating?"

"No, I'm fine," Aria said as she got up to get the syrup out of the refrigerator, and then she brought it back over to the table for him. "I don't want anything too heavy on my stomach, so I'll just stick with a cup of coffee".

She sat back down to the table, then she poured some syrup into her coffee, and then she drank some, her hands cradling the mug.

"I meant it Aria. You're a great cook," Ezra said, before drinking some more of his coffee. He grabbed the bottle of syrup, then he dumped a large amount onto his pancakes, before taking a healthy bite. He groaned as he nodded his head at her, and then he took another bite. She laughed again, before biting her bottom lip, bringing the cup up to her lips. "These pancakes are really great, but why blueberry?"

"Thanks, but that's not the only thing I'm good at" Aria said shamelessly, before flashing him a seductive smile. She chuckled sexily as he choked on his pancakes. "No, but seriously, that's the only type of pancakes Ella would make when I was growing up, so it became a favorite of mine".

"Where did you learn how to cook?" Ezra asked her curiously, still trying to recover from his choking attack. He drank some of his coffee, hoping that would help with his coughing. "I definitely need some more cooking skills".

"I watched Ella a lot, and then there were teachers like Paula Dean, and Tyler Florence," Aria said with a soft smile, one of fingertips dipping into her half empty cup of coffee. "I can give you a demonstration, or two".

"Maybe," Ezra said with uncertainty, seeing the knowing glint in her eyes. It was hard as it was being alone with her right now. He glanced down at his watch. The staff meeting would start in two more hours. " I have to be going, but I can wash the dishes before I leave".

He got up with his plate as he headed over to the sink to wash his dirty plate.

"I got it Mr. Fitz," Aria said smiling as she came up beside him, her supple body brushing his as she took the plate from him.

He tried unsuccessfully to fight the stirring in his body. To remain stoic as she reached over him to take hold of the other unclean pots and pans, and then she threw them into the searing dish detergent water, but he couldn't. His want came forth fast and furiously as his cock started throbbing fiercely. Painfully. He had to move away from her. He was standing too close to her. He felt everything as his blue eyes darken with lust. Her body heat, the weight of her right breast, the brush of her forearm against his and the way her fingers lightly touched his, and the hypnotic sound of her breathing. What the fuck was he doing? What was wrong with him? He had to get himself under control. He was acting like some horny little boy.

"Are you sure Aria? Because you did cook, and the least I could do is wash the dishes," Ezra said thickly, trying to keep his longing from out of his voice.

But he couldn't fool her as she looked up into his face, seeing the want written there. His voice thick with it. Every word oozed with it. His body vibrated with it. Her eyes showed their lust too, but she did nothing. Said nothing. Her lips only curled into a smirk, before her little pink tongue came out to wet her lips. His eyes unwillingly followed the movement, before he eventually looked away. Back into her silent laughing eyes. God, she was beautiful.

"I'm sure Mr. Fitz. I don't mind," Aria insisted in a breathless voice as she gently chewed on her bottom lip. " You have a meeting to get to".

"That's right," Ezra said as he nodded his head, just remembering he did have a staff meeting to get to. He moved away from her, and then he wiped his hands on a clean dish rag, before walking over to the front door. He looked back at her, feeling her eyes on him. He cleared his throat loudly, before speaking again, running a careless hand through his hair. "Are you going to be all right here… I mean alone?"

"Yeah, I'm just going to finish up here, then I'm going to go take a shower, and then I'll be out of here," Aria said as she gave him another soft smile, drying off her last pot.

He nodded once again, and then he left out the door, still feeling her gaze on him.

The staff meeting proved beneficial, and instructive as he sat through the long speeches from the principal, and the vice principal, jotting down useful notes in his little notepad with his black ball point pen. Every teacher in the school was there. The meeting was held in the spacious library. Ezra sat with four other educators. It was five teachers to each rectangle shaped table. Three round tables sat at the back of the room. One table was for Styrofoam cups, coffee and bottled water, and soft drinks. The second table was for refreshments that consisted of little half sandwiches, a meat platter and cheese platter, a veggie platter, a fruit platter, chips and dip, cookies and cupcakes, cereal bars, gondola bars, nuts and peppermints, crackers, cold fried chicken, macaroni salad, and chicken salad. The third table was for the paper napkins, paper plates and saucers, paper bowls, plastic forks and spoons, and knives.

Handouts were handed out along with goodie bags filled with teaching supplies. End of school exams were the main discussion of the meeting. They said that it was a serious deal, showing them a scoring scale that the whole entire school had to reach together. That they needed to offer after school tutoring for the struggling students in their classes. That they needed to prepare each student efficiently with the required material to pass their exams. That they needed to stress with their students about how important their exams are. That passing the exams should be their main focus in their lesson plans. That study groups are being held during free periods in the study hall. That computer and library hours have been extended. That they are trying to beat Riverdale's scoring percentage, and then they expressed to every single teacher that no child would be left behind and that they expected them to try their absolute best in making sure each student succeeded in helping the school reach their goal.

He was more than happy when the meeting concluded, only lingering afterwards to chit chat with some teachers. He didn't eat much, because he was still pretty full from that big breakfast Aria had made him, so he packed up whatever he had left, before leaving out the school building. He made his way to the teacher's parking lot. He couldn't believe that it was already after 4 O'clock. He unlocked his driver side door, then he got in, placing the aluminum foil covered paper plate on the passenger seat, and then he started up the car and drove out the parking lot, heading home. The freeway was crammed packed with vehicles as he pulled onto the busy interstate, maneuvering around in different lanes to find a comfort zone as he flowed with the heavy afternoon traffic.

He soon got lost in his thoughts. Aria having the starring role in them. He had forgotten how good it felt to sleep with someone next to him. To feel the warmth of their body absorbing his. To hear their light snoring in his ear. To wake up in the middle of the night to wrap his arms tighter around the small soft body, feeling positively content. To awake in the morning and gazed upon a beautiful face. To feel the power pull of desire in his loins. To have someone cater to him. To cook him breakfast for once, and to have a conversation over the table again. Jamiee had been gone far too long. He was lonely. He didn't realize how much until now. He know that he shouldn't have, but he had enjoyed Aria's company. She was a breath of fresh air. He yanked himself from out of his reverie, switching lanes as his cell phone rung. He kept one steady hand on the steering wheel as he reached down and grabbed his phone from out the first cup holder, glancing at the caller id, and then he placed the phone to his ear as he smiled like a Cheshire cat.

"So, you still telling Jamiee tonight?" The strong male voice of Reed asked as he yawned loudly, and obnoxiously in his ear. Ezra already knew what he had done with his day off as he laughed.

"I am," Ezra replied back as he blew out a hard breath, trying not to think about how he was getting ready to break Jamiee's heart. Break her trust in him.

He knew how hard it was for her to let him in from the start. Knew how hard it was for her to trust men in general. Damn her father. Damn him for hurting her. Damn himself for doing the same. God, he had never wanted to do that. He loved her. He shook his head, hating himself for the cheating bastard he was. A cheating asshole. The saying was true about empires falling at a young maiden's lips. Lives destroyed from temptation and deceit. Hearts fragile and weak from heartache.

"Are you sure you want to tell her man? I mean there's no coming back after this. You could lose her," Reed said with harsh truth, his voice saying that maybe he should reconsider. "I know that you don't want to hurt her, but this will. This knowledge will shatter her".

"I have to Reed. She needs to know," Ezra said as he switched lanes again, his exit quickly approaching. "I can't keep being in a relationship with her if I'm hiding a secret. She deserves to know. She has a right to know. How can I expect her to give her all in this relationship, when I haven't been faithful to her".

He knew that he was doing the right thing when he turned off at his exit.

"I know man. I know," Reed said as he sighed heavily into the receiver. "I just don't want you to lose her. I know how much you love her. Know how much she means to you".

"I understand Reed. I do. I just can't live with myself if I kept this affair from her," Ezra said, breathing hard yet again as he rubbed his eyes, massaging them. "If I continuously keep this from her, then it will be the ultimate betrayal".

He had made to ignore the fact that Jamiee was coming tonight, and that he would have to tell her everything, but Reed dredged up that reality to the front of his mind. He had been hoping to not think about it until the time had came for him to confess.

"Just call me afterwards. Just to let me know what happened" Reed said with a hint of worry in his voice. "And if you need a place to crash tonight, then the door is always open".

"Thanks," Ezra said before clicking the end cell button as he pulled into his parking lot garage, spotting Jamiee's car.

Ezra took a deep breath as he got out of the car, making his way to his apartment. He felt nervous and scared. His whole body felt numb. What he wouldn't give to feel pain. Physically pain. It felt like he was having an out of body experience as he watched himself inserting his house key, before pushing the door open, and then he went inside. Watched himself throw down his set of keys on the counter top. Watched himself go over to the refrigerator to store his plate of food. Watched with a pained expression as Jamiee came from out of his bedroom as she walked towards him. A smile played across her full lips as she rushed into his arms, her arms linking themselves behind his neck as she molded her warm body into his. Feeling as his own arms went around her narrow waist as he squeezed her body tightly to his as she stared up into his eyes, her beautiful cornflower blue eyes full of happiness. He felt ill as a deep frown shaped his mouth.

"Ezra, I've missed you," Jamiee said against his lips before deeply kissing him, her soft tongue snaking its way into his mouth. He kissed her back with renewed passion he thought had been lost, thinking that this might be the last time he would kiss her and hold her like this as his mouth demanded much more from her. "What did you want to tell that you wouldn't tell me over the phone?" I have some great news to tell you too".

"I don't know how to tell you this Jamiee, "Ezra started out quietly, removing her arms from around his neck as he pulled her over to the couch. " The last thing I wanted to do was hurt you. I'm sorry".

"Ezra, what are you talking about? How have you hurt me? And what are you sorry about?" Jamiee asked with a look of confusion on her face, allowing him to take her hand in his.

"You know that I love you right?" Ezra asked, still in a low voice as he fought passed the lump in his throat.

His eyes never left her face as he watched the emotions play on it keenly.

"Of course I know that you love me, but I don't understand" Jamiee said with bafflement as she looked at him, trying to grasp what he was trying to tell her. "Ezra, what does that have to do with anything?"

"I never meant for any of this to happen. You have to know that," Ezra said, still speaking in riddles. "I would never do anything intentionally to hurt you".

"Ezra you're scaring me," Jamiee said, her voice filled with panic. "Just tell me what you're talking about".

"I know that you are going to hate me, but I just couldn't keep this from you anymore Jamiee," Ezra said in a strangled voice as he took her hand and placed it over his heart. "It kills me to do this to you, but you deserve to know. You have a right to know".

"Ezra just please tell me what you're talking about?" Jamiee pleaded as she looked into his sad eyes. What kills you? What do I deserve to know?"

He nodded his head, gathering a way to tell her this.

"I cheated Jamiee. I never meant for it to happen. I never wanted it to happen. I never meant to hurt you this way. It was just one night. A night I fully regret," Ezra said thickly with emotion, seeing the confusion in her face slowly turning to hurt and anger. He was dying inside. "If I could take that night back I would. I'm sorry. Tell me we can get pass this? I don't expect for you to forgive me right away. I know that you're going to need some time to process of all this. You have to know that I love you".

She snatched her hand away from him like she couldn't stand to have him touch her, and then she got up from off the couch as she shook her head over and over again, backing away from him like she was warding him off. His chest tightening up as he saw the tears forming in her eyes. Everything she knew was crumbling.

"What? I can't believe this. I can't believe that you would do this to me Ezra. To us," Jamiee choked out angrily as she placed a shaky hand over her heart as tears fell hard down her face, smearing her mascara. She ran a wild unsteady hand through her hair as she took in what he had just told her. "Why?"

The word was spoken so softly, that he had to make sure he had heard her correctly. He got up to go to her, but he stopped as she backed away from him. That reaction tore him apart. She had always craved his affections.

"I was attracted to her. I tried to fight it. God, Jamiee you don't know how hard I tried to fight what I felt for her," Ezra said, his own voice choking back tears.

He walked towards her again, but she still backed away from him.

"How could you do this? To me Ezra? To me?" Jamiee cried brokenly as she hugged herself. "I thought that you were different. Telling myself that he's not going to hurt me. That he's one of the good guys".

"You have to believe me when I tell you that I didn't set out for this to happen," Ezra forced out passed the ever growing lump in his throat, his own tears falling down his face at seeing how badly he had hurt her. "I never said that I was a perfect man Jamiee. I know that you thought I was, and I love you for that, but I'm not. I make mistakes just like everyone else".

"What does she have that I don't, huh?" Jamiee asked through her tears.

"She's different Jamiee," Elena answered honestly, not elaborating on Aria's qualities.

He tried walking to her once more, her voice stopping him dead in his tracks.

"Don't you dare come any closer to me!" Jamiee yelled out though her many falling tears, her voice filled with hate. "I don't want you to touch me. I don't want you to ever touch me".

Ezra just stood there, not knowing what else to do, his heart breaking along with hers. He had did this to them. He had caused this.

"You kissed her with the same mouth that you kissed me with. You touched her with the same hands you touched me with. Made love to her with the same body. Oh my god," Jamiee said as she cried even harder. "I'm going to be sick".

Her hand covered her mouth as deep sobs racked her whole body. He couldn't stand to hear the sound of her crying so heart brokenly.

"It was a mistake Jamiee," Ezra said as he tried getting through to her. "That's all it was. One huge mistake. I love you".

"I thought that you loved me, but I was stupid. A fool," Jamiee said as more tears ran down her cheeks. "You knew my situation. You knew how hard it was for me to open myself up and trust someone. Especially knowing the history of my father walking out on me. It's like you still didn't care".

"I do love you. You know that I love you," Ezra said angrily as he went to her anyway, wrapping his arms around her as he pulled her resisting body to his. "I'm so sorry Jamiee. I hate myself for hurting you the way that I did".

He tilted her head up towards him, forcing her eyes to look into his as he kissed her tears away, before leaning his forehead against hers as she cried in his arms, sobs ripping from her throat. She was stiff in his arms as her arms hung limply at her sides, her body shaking with tremors.

"Tell me we can get through this Jamiee?" Ezra murmured against her black hair.

"I never thought that you would hurt me. That you would cheat on me. I was so blinded" Jamiee laughed bitterly through her tears as she pushed him away from her. "So blinded by my love for you. Do you love her?"

"No," Ezra said without hesitation. "Don't push me away Jamiee. I'll give you all the space that you would need, but don't push me away".

"Do you think that I want to? I just see you and I feel hate running through my body. I'm hurt Ezra. I'm hurt, and I just want the pain to go away," Jamiee said crying, her tears raining down furiously as she brushed them away. "I don't know if I can ever forgive you. You did the one thing I asked you not to do. You broke my trust".

"What can I do to fix this?" Ezra asked as he gazed into her face.

"Can you tell me that this was all just some horrible dream?" Jamiee asked hopefully through her sniffles.

"I can't," Ezra said regrettably, knowing that he couldn't grant her that wish.

"You threw away our three years together. And It was all because of one night. One decision you made," Jamiee said as her hands ran through her hair again, her eyes filled with shattered love as fresh tears fall from out of them. "Who was she? What was her name? Is she a teacher at Rosewood?"

"Does it really matter Jamiee? Knowing won't change anything. It would only serve to make things much more harder and painful," Ezra said with complete veracity as he tried to hold her again, but she pushed him away. Backing farther and farther away from him.

"I don't want to even know," Jamiee said as she shook her head from side to side, holding up her hand. "You asked if we can get pass this, but I don't think we can".

"What are you saying Jamiee?" Ezra forced out passed his lips, feeling a cold dread in the pit of his stomach, because he knew what she was getting ready to say to him. He didn't want her to say it. He wasn't ready for their relationship to be over yet. It couldn't be over.

"I can't stand to look at you, to be around you, to have you come near me, or to have you touch me," Jamiee spoke through her tears, her lips trembling. "You broke my heart Ezra. I never thought that I could hate you, but I do. I got to get out of here. It feels like the walls are closing in on me".

Every word stung him as he made one last attempt to go to her. To just hold her in his arms. To tell her everything would be all right. That they could work this out, but she shoved him away from her. Again and again.

"Don't," Jamiee said through clenched teeth as she moved away from him, her eyes red and puffy from crying as she grabbed her purse off the counter. " I can't be here right now. I'm going back to New York, and don't you dare try to stop me Ezra".

"You shouldn't be driving like this Jamiee," Ezra said as he tried to get her to stay. To stay with him. To be with him. "Stay with me tonight. Let me make love to you. Show you how much I love you. Be with me. Let me try to fix what I did. We can work through this if you allow it. But please, don't walk out on me. On us".

"Now you care about me," Jamiee said through her bitter tears as she laughed dryly again, her voice fracturing. "Did you for one second think about me before you cheated? Think about my feelings?"

"Yes," Ezra said with aching passion as he walked towards her, taking her in his arms once more as he stared down into her misty cornflower blue eyes, his breath bathing her lips. His lips close to hers. Close enough to almost touch. To feel their softness. "I fought with myself constantly, saying that I didn't want to hurt you. To destroy what we had. To lose you".

His was about to kiss her, but before his mouth was about to touch hers, she turned her head, and then she tore herself from out of his embrace, before walking over to the door.

"I don't want you driving when you're this upset," Ezra said in a numbing voice. " I care about your safety".

Jamiee opened the door up as she got ready to walk through it for good, looking back over at him still rooted in the same spot.

"I'll stay at a motel tonight, and then I'll head back to New York in the morning," Jamiee assured him in a soft voice, "You can just mail my things to me".

"If that's what you want," Ezra said as he nodded his head sadly, staring at her.

"That's what I want," Jamiee said with finality in her voce.

He had to try to reach her one last time.

"What can I say to convince you to stay?" Ezra asked with rawness, willing to do and say anything if she stayed.

"Nothing. You can't say anything Ezra," Jamiee said quietly, but truthfully.

He gave another sad nod of his head as she prepared to leave out the door, his voice halting her in her departure.

"What was the great news you had to tell me?" Ezra asked her, just now remembering.

She turned to look at him again, a sad smile played about her lips.

"That I was going to work from here on the weekdays, and then only travel to New York on the weekends," Jamiee said, before turning and walking out the door, slamming the door quietly behind her.

Ezra was staring down at the tall empty Scotch bottle, when someone knocked on the door. He thought about ignoring the persistent knocker, but he thought it might be Jamiee. He sat down his glass filled with ice cubes, then he got up, and then he went to go answer the door. He pulled back the door to reveal Aria. She was wearing a tan trench coat and pumps. Her seductive smile vanished when she got a look at his disheveled appearance. He left her at the door as he went into the kitchen to get another bottle of Scotch out his liquor cabinet, and then he carried the bottle over to the couch with him, fully aware that Aria was following him. She watched him pour a large amount into his shot glass, before throwing it back. He grimaced. He poured some more into his glass, and then he drowned it in one gulp.

"What do you want Aria?" Ezra said in a slightly annoyed voice as he pressed the cool glass to his forehead, before looking over towards her.

He wasn't in the mood for her childish games tonight.

"What's wrong?" Aria asked as her perfectly arched eyebrows knitted together as her big brown eyes ran over him. She sat down on the couch beside him, turning her body to face him. "You look like you had a little too much to drink".

He laughed dryly at that.

"Not that it's any of your business, but Jamiee left me tonight," Ezra said harshly as he poured himself another glass of Scotch, and then he threw it back.

"Why?" Aria inquired all too innocently as she watched him pour some more alcohol into his shot glass.

He didn't miss the happy tone in her voice. She sure wasn't trying to hide the fact that she was thrill about it.

"Because I told her about us," Ezra said drowning the amber liquid in one swoop. "And she didn't take the news too well, but I don't blame her".

He poured more scotch into his glass.

"Don't worry I didn't tell her who you were," Ezra said upon seeing the scared expression on her face as he lifted the glass again to his lips, swallowing back the dark strong liquor.

He saw her sigh with relief.

"I'm sorry," Aria said without any truth in her voice, her eyes saying that she wasn't the least bit sorry.

"I highly doubt that," Ezra said with a bitter laugh as he poured himself another shot of Scotch, not buying her fake sincerity act. "That night was a mistake. She knows that".

He felt her flinch as though he had hit her.

"But she still chose to walk out on me," Ezra said sourly, before tossing his drink back. "Said that she hated me. That she couldn't stand to look at me, and that she couldn't bear to have me touch her". He laughed cruelly, before resting the glass against his forehead again. "And she said that she didn't know if she could ever forgive me. I tried apologizing, but it fell on deaf ears. Her mind was already made up".

He suddenly threw the glass against the wall, watching as it shattered into a million pieces, and then he picked up the Scotch bottle and threw that against the wall too. Glass and alcohol flew everywhere.

Aria jumped at his out lash of anger.

"What can I do Mr. Fitz?" Aria asked as she placed her hand on top of his suggestively.

"You can go home," Ezra said coldly as he shook off her hand.

"I can help you Mr. Fitz," Aria said in a raspy voice before biting on her bottom lip.

Why did she always have to do that?

"Oh, and how can you help me Aria?" Ezra asked intrigued, playing along, his blue eyes shining with a dangerous lustful glare.

"Let me be here for you Mr. Fitz," Aria said wantonly, her eyes glowing with a sexual light. " I can make you feel really good. I can make you forgot everything that happened with Jamiee.

She demonstrated by running her fingers down the back of his hand.

"I would only be using you Aria," Ezra said bluntly as his thumb brushed her bottom lip, not responsible if she got hurt.

"I don't care," Aria said hoarsely as she climbed onto his lap, her knees on either side of him. "I want you. Need you. Let me be here for you".

He gripped her tiny waist, adding pressure as he kept her still on his hard cock as he leaned his head back against the couch, looking up at her.

"I promise not to fall in love with you," Aria whispered against his lips, before crushing her mouth down onto his with a heated intensity as she moaned against his mouth, grinding her core onto him.

He groaned against her lips as his arms wrapped around her back, hugging her tight as his hands made their way into her silky locks as she thrusted her small tongue into his open mouth, moaning softly into his mouth as she tasted the Scotch he had drank. His own tongue pushing its way into hers as he kissed her back fervently, wanting everything. His hands moving back to her waist again. His fingers biting into her sides as he kissed her harder. Deeper. She arched into him, her arms squeezing around his neck as her tongue played with his, teasing him ruthlessly. He growled into her mouth and she laughed as she gave him what he wanted.

Ezra was panting hard by the time Aria pulled her lips away from his and got up off his lap, then she took hold of both of his hands to help him up, and then she lead him to his bedroom, her eyes promising. He didn't try to pull away, or stop her. He didn't care that he was about to make another mistake, or that he was about to go back on his word to Reed. He didn't give a damn about right and wrong anymore. What else could he lose? He had already lost Jamiee. What more could he lose? He didn't want to feel hurt, anger and guilt, pain, and self pity. He just wanted to feel passion, fire and self worth, and alive. Aria let go of one of his hands to flip on the light, and then she smiled wickedly, before pushing him down onto the bed. He was thick, swollen, and throbbing as he felt the pre cum soiling his briefs as he grew in length. His dick begged to be sprung free.

She eyes held his as she untied her coat, uniting the knot slowly, and then she pulled back the flaps of the jacket, showcasing her naked form. He let out a guttural sound as his eyes ran over her succulent body parts. Her round creamy breasts with the dark nipples that were erect. They sat high and proud. The nipples asking to be suckled. Her flat stomach with the cute little strawberry birth mark. He had never seen something so unique in all his life. The nice shape of her curvy hips and thighs. The dark shaved passage of her adolescent pussy. His mouth watered as he swallowed with great difficulty. He couldn't wait to be inside of her again. To feel her tightness overwhelming him. He was pulsating immensely. She giggled drunkenly as she twirled around. He let out another groan as he admired the roundness of her ass. So smooth and so milky white. She stopped twirling around and let her trench coat fall onto the floor at her feet, and then she kicked off her pumps, before she walked over towards him provocatively, leisurely. She stopped inches from reaching him, swaying her hips erotically to soundless music as she ran sensually hands down along her body. Her eyes full of laugher, coy, and shenanigan as she ran fingers through her dark mass of long hair, tossing the lustrous shiny tresses over her shoulders. She was taunting him again, loving his impatience. She was just so god damn gorgeous.

He soon grew tired of the games, his impatience winning out as he got up from the bed. With hastiness, he pulled the shirt from over his head, throwing it clear across the room, then he unbuckled his belt and pulled down his pants as he kicked them aside, and then he removed his briefs. His eyes was still connected to hers, feeling the heat pass between their locked gazes. Her eyes as big as saucers as she looked down towards his brick hard cock, biting her lip gingerly, before looking back up into his eyes, and then she gave him an alluring smile, before closing the gap between them, pressing her body up against his like a lazy feline as she moaned. He made a harsh sound in his throat as her skin touched his. She felt incredibly good. She purred against his mouth right before biting his lips gently, kissing him with a feathery fever as his hands came up and cupped both of her round breasts, his thumbs skating back and forth across the hard nipples as she moaned deeply in her throat, pressing her body more into him. He broke his mouth away from hers, kissing down her soft neck and collarbone, and then he crushed his lips back onto hers once again, kissing her vigorously as one hand massaged her breast, while his other fingers tug, pull, and pinched her right nipple. She gasped into his mouth.

Ezra showed attention to the left breast, tugging, pulling and pinching the sensitive erect pebble as his right hand massaged the right breast. Her arms coming up to wrap around his neck as she deepened their kiss, her tongue licking his lips, before delving into his mouth. His mouth left hers again as it traveled down towards her breasts, his hand cupping her right breast as he licked, sucked and suckled it, bite, and tugged it between his teeth, and then he left her right breast to move to her left one, repeating the action as she moaned louder, her fingers curling in his hair. The weight of his protruding cock becoming too much to bear as the tip pierced her abdomen. She pulled her mouth from his as she slithered down his body like a snake, taking hold of his dick in her hands. He hissed loudly, shuddering at the feel of her tiny hands on his tumid penis. She looked right up at him, her brown eyes glimmering as her tongue came out to run along the head of his cock, tasting the salty pre cum. She moaned as he grunted, his hands tangling themselves into her hair. Her tongue came out again, licking more of his pre cum up as his eyes closed automatically.

She opened her mouth up wider, taking him into her mouth inch by inch, relaxing the back of her throat so that she wouldn't gag as she started to suck him off like a season pro. His fingers tightening in her hair as her head moved back and forth, sucking him harder and harder as he groaned out. She took him out of her mouth, licking down his long thick length with her tongue, and then she used her lips to suck on the head, chewing and gnawing on the fat head as her tongue flicked over the slit at the tip. He cursed as she bite down on the fleshy head, circling her tongue around the whole head, before taking him back into her mouth, sucking him deeper and deeper as he hit the back of her throat each time, causing crazy friction. He was about ready to explode. Deeper and deeper she took him into her mouth. Harder and harder she sucked. She started to squeeze his balls sack as her head moved faster and faster on his cock as she gave him deep penetration. Over and over again. He clenched his teeth, feeling the rush of his orgasm as he groaned out loud again. She squeezed her throat muscles around him. Again and again as he shouted out, her name ripped from out of his throat as he shot load after load of hot semen down her throat. She swallowed greedily, making sure to lick up any stray drops, before getting up off her knees. She used the back of her hand to wipe her mouth clean as her eyes held much more pleasure to come.

"I'm not nearly done with you Mr. Fitz," Aria said in a croaky voice, biting her swollen bottom lip as she pushed him back onto the bed.

She then reached down towards her trench coat, searching through one of the pockets until she found the blue condom wrapper, smiling at him seductively as she used her white teeth to tear open the packaging, and then she applied it onto his still hard cock, her fingertip grazing the side as a deep groan sounded in his throat. The condom fitted him snugly. She tossed the wrapper onto the floor, and then she climbed on top of him, her mouth crashing down hard onto his as she kissed him hard and passionately as he kissed her back with just as much enthusiasm as he wrapped his arms around her back to crush her small body to his. She wiggled onto him as she positioned herself above his cock, her scorching pussy grazing him as she moved so that the head of his dick could brush back and forth across her swollen wet lips. He groaned as she moaned, his hands coming to grab onto her waist. She looked down into his eyes as she lowered herself slowly onto him, impelling herself all the way onto him as he groaned against her lips. She screamed as he stretched her tight pussy to the maxima. Just like before. He just about came undone at how wet and tight she was. It was as though he had never penetrated her.

He thrusted upwards into her, driving himself even further inside of her clamped dripping walls as she screamed again, starting to move on him. Back and forth as he thrusted into her a second time as they both set their pace to a slow tempo. He didn't see any reason to rush. This was going to be the last time. It had to be. His mouth found her breasts again, his tongue licking around her dark nipples, before flickering, and suckling them as she let out a whispery moan. She thrusted downwards onto him. Time after time as low cries emitted from her agape mouth. His hands directing her unsure jerky movements as he thrusted up inside of her deep and hard, causing her to threw her head back and yell as she sped up her motion.

He sucked and pulled her hard nipples some more, flicking his tongue against them fast as he moved upwards to pierce himself into her pussy over and over again as she moaned louder. Deeper. He bite down lightly on her nipples, before flicking them again with his tongue, his hands moving from her waist to grip her ass cheeks, slamming her onto his ever swelling cock. Harder and harder as her inner walls squeezed him mercilessly as he bit the inside of his cheek to keep from roaring. She squeezed herself around him again and again, her eyes laughing down at him. Little moans and cries fell from her sweet lips as he plunged into her heated oven. Her hands running down his chest and abs as she rose up and down, opening her thighs more to grant him more depth inside of her.

Ezra sped up his thrusting as his mouth found hers, shoving his tongue into her mouth as he swallowed her shrill broken moans as she bounced up and down on his big thick phallus as she compressed her walls around him to cause friction. He gritted his teeth and kneaded her ass, before gripping her ass cheeks hard. She panted into his mouth as he went even deeper and deeper inside of her, filling her to the brim with each calculated thrust. He groaned again and again as her teasing tongue brushed his. His hands left her soft ass to squeeze her breasts, his thumbs fluttering across her turgid nipples, eliciting a sighing moan from her. She got wetter and wetter as he pumped into her with long even strokes. She felt so damn good as his thrusting got reckless. He fucked her harder, muffling her screams with his mouth. She bounced faster and faster on him, hugging him viciously as she repeatedly slammed down onto his cock, moaning louder and louder.

She had him losing his mind as she moved up and down, then round and round, and then side to side as she squeezed with each rotation. He was about to cum. Hard and furiously. She circled her hips as she grinded onto his thumping dick. Her brown eyes looking down into his as she rode him harder and harder, rising and falling rapidly onto him. She was biting her lip as her hands pressed against his sweaty chest, her fingers digging into his skin as the pleasure intensified more and more. His body hummed with sensation. Dragged out moans and harsh groans ripped from out both their throats, their bodies glistened with sweat droplets. Their heavy panting, deep breathing, and the creaking of the king size bed was the only sounds that filled the room. Filled the night. The apartment. He ran his hand down the front of her stomach, his fingers stroking her birth mark, before heading down to the place they were connected, slipping two fingers inside of her to stimulate her enlarged clitoris. She gasped at the invasion of his fingers inside of her as she thrusted down skillfully, over and over as she soaked his condom covered dick with her pussy juices. She bent her head down as his fingers ran through her hair, covering his mouth with hers as she kissed him feverishly. Her body starting to shake with her impending orgasm as her inner walls squeezed him even more tightly. Fiercely.

He couldn't take anymore as he thrusted up into her powerfully. Uncontrollably, groaning along with her as her walls constricted around him like a new fitted designer vest. Over and over he plunged up into her moist narrow passage. Deeper and deeper as he explored her inner region. Her movements became jerky as she rode him faster and faster, needing that fulfillment . He wanted fulfillment too as he gripped her waist almost crushingly as he thrusted again, knowing that she will have bruises in the morning. He could feel himself cumming as her walls tighten around him some more. He pumped profoundly, and vehemently into her little tight pussy, desperately needing the release as his hands held onto her sides more securely as he kept on pumping upward inside of her as mewling sounds burst from her lips. He felt her cumming as she clenched him over and over, unsympathetically as she reached above his head to grab onto the headboard as she lifted herself up and down, and then up and down again, slamming herself onto him forcefully. Over and over as her whimpers turned to piercing cries as her eyes locked with his, not letting him go. She bite her bottom lip harder as she threw her head back, the pain and pleasure becoming too much for her to bear as she screamed. Deep groans and grunts fell from his mouth at her ongoing downward thrusting onto his to the point of exploding cock. She came down one last time, finally shattering around him, her screams and moans deafening. Her body convulsing crazily. And then her hands were falling away from the headboard as she grasped his shoulders brutally, her fingernails digging into his flesh as she drew blood, her hips still moving so that she could bring him to completion. He thrusted up one more time, throwing his head back and uttering out her name again as his cum filled the condom to the limit of breaking it. She stopped moving, and then she collapsed on top of him, snoring lightly just like the first time.

Ezra threw his clothes on as he glanced at Aria's sleeping form, her body sprawled out on the bed. He shook his head at what he had done, the alcohol leaving his system. He mind was way more clear now. He had, had too much to drink. He had not being thinking clearly. Too lost in his grief of losing Jamiee to think rationally. There was no coming back from this. He had slept with her a second time. Something he said that he wouldn't do, but he had done it. She didn't have to coerce him. He had wanted to fuck her again. To make love to her. To escape his problems. To have one movement of bliss. He shook his head, his anger seeping through in great waves. He was furious at himself for being an idiot for risking everything again. Especially blowing his chance at trying to get Jamiee back. This was wrong. All wrong. This wasn't supposed to happen. He couldn't think when she was around him. When she was near him. She was too much of a temptation for him. He had to get out of there. He had to clear his mind. He had to get out of Rosewood for a while. He couldn't continue to teach her like this. To allow this to go on between them, when he knew that it was all kinds of wrong. He was her teacher, and she was his student. An underage one at that. He spared her one last look again, before leaving out his bedroom and out his apartment. He was going to leave. He had already came to a conclusion. He didn't know for how long. He just knew that he had to.

**First off thanks to all my loyal readers and reviewers for your ongoing support for this story. I appreciate you guys. You guys make me write. You motivate me. And again, I'm sorry for the way, but I'll try my hardest to have Chapter 14 up this month as well. Anywayz, enough of that lol. What did you think? Let me know by reviewing! I always enjoy reading you guys have to say.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

**Aria POV**

Aria snuggled her face deep into the soft pillow, her hand reaching over to feel the empty space beside her where Mr. Fitz should have been. The spot felt cold and undisturbed. Like he had never been there, but that couldn't be right. Last night wasn't just some figment of her imagination. He had been there. Right beside her. Her small body brushing up against his bigger one had been real. It had felt real, so real. She and Mr. Fitz did have sex for a second time. Sex between them last night had been so explosive. Maybe that was an understatement. It had been mind boggling. Now that was a perfect description to describe it, She thought as she smiled lazily, totally relaxed. Her smile spreading victoriously into the cushion as she glanced over at the vacant spot next to her, her long mane of glorious dark hair falling into her eyes. She chewed on her bottom full lip as she reminisced about sleeping with Mr. Fitz again. Hadn't she told him that it would happen again? That they would be sleeping together for a second time? She let the picturesque scenes play out in front of her.

The way she had took his big cock into her hands, her tongue coming out to run along the swollen mushroom shaped head of his dick as she tasted the saltiness of his pre-cum. She always wanted to know what semen tasted like. What he tasted like. The way she had moaned as he grunted, his hands running through her hair. The way her tongue had come out to play again, licking more of his musky scented pre-cum up as his eyes closed so slowly. Like in a dream. Like she was giving him a little taste of heaven. The way she had opened her mouth, taking him in inch by inch as she relaxed the back of her throat as her dainty mouth closed around him. She had sucked him like she was a professional. Like she knew what she had been doing, but that wasn't entirely the case. She had never given any of her boyfriends' a blow job before. She had been going off what she had read, seen, and heard in books, on television, and from her friends. She had made sure she had been knowledgeable on the subject before she had performed the act on him. She hadn't wanted to look and feel inexperienced. She had made it her priority to do her research.

The feel of his fingers tightening in her hair as she had moved her head back and forth, sucking him harder and harder as he groaned out his satisfaction with her crafty technique. The way she had took him out of her mouth to lick down his long pulsating length, before using her lips to suck on his gigantic head, chewing and gnawing on the enlarged head as her tongue flickered over the sensitive slit at the very top of his cock. The utterance of his curse as she bite down on the fleshy head, her tongue circling around the whole part of the fat head, before she took him back into her willing hot mouth. She had sucked him deeper and deeper as he hit the back of her throat repetitively as it caused some fiction to give him more intense pleasure. Over and over again she had taken him deeper and deeper into her mouth, sucking him harder and harder. Her hand squeezed the balls of his sack as she sucked him faster and faster, causing him to go even deeper into her throat. It was like he was doing a thorough examination of her windpipe. The way she had squeezed her throat muscles around his cock. Again and again as he shouted out her name as he left go of the built up sensation, shooting load after load of his cum into her mouth as it trickled down the back of her gullet. She had never known anything could taste so good. That it could be so delicious as she swallowed his semen greedily, making sure to slurp up every droplet of his white foamy cum.

How she had told him that she wasn't nearly done with him yet as she bit her on bottom lip and pushed him down onto the bed aggressively. She laughed to herself in memory. She never cease to amaze herself. It had been wicked enough already showing up at his apartment with nothing on, but a trench coat and black pumps. She had been naked as the day she had been born underneath the cotton made materiel. The night air breeze had felt great against her ass, erecting her nipples as the biting chill roamed over her body with its freezing hands. The way she had slid the latex condom onto his protruding shaft like she had practiced. Who knew those sex educational classes with the bananas and cucumbers would come in handy someday. She also knew how to apply on a condom with her mouth and teeth that had took lots of practice for her to be able to master it accurately.

The way she had climbed on top of him, her mouth crashing down hard onto his as she kissed him hard and passionately as he kissed her back with the same vigor. The way she had wiggled on him, positioning her entrance above his thick cock as her sweltering wet pussy grazed the head of his dick repeatedly, brushing to and from across her swollen moist lips. The sound of his groan and her moan at the slightest touch of contact. Her garden of Eden was more than ready for his snaky entry. The feel of his hands on her waist. The way she had stared down into his compelling eyes as she had lowered herself languidly onto him, impelling herself all the way onto him as he groaned against her lips at the felicitousness of their joined bodies. She had understood. It had felt good to him to be inside of her, stroking to ignite her fire once more. Just like it had felt good to her to have him inside of her, filling her undoubtedly. She had screamed as he had stretched her kitty to the limit. Just like he had done the first time. She would never ever forget how he filled her to the halt once again.

She had ridden him all kinds of ways. Every angle known to mankind. Back and forth, had bounced up and down and had moved round and around, encircling her hips in a traditional dance, and then she had moved side to side as he had thrusted upwards into her deeper and harder each time, driving himself even further inside of her drenched pussy. She had thrusted back down onto him, opening her thighs wider to allow him greater access to her pearly gates of sanctuary. How her cries, moans and screams, chants, and yells had floated from out of her agape mouth magically like a beautiful song bird. Like a humming bird at its morning peak. His own moans and groans filled her ears. How his strong capable hands had directed her somewhat uncertain movements on top of him, showing her expertly the way it was done. Shown her what he liked as he pumped into her core deliriously. The grip of those same hands that grabbed onto her ass as he had slammed her back down onto his bulging cock. How she had made her inner walls squeeze him again and again as her eyes had laughed down into his. She had been a devilina. How his king size bed had creaked and squeaked so loudly as their passion intensified drastically more and more.

The feel of his fingers inside of her as they had stimulated her clitoris to no end. How she had reached above his head as she lifted herself up and down, forcing her slippery pussy back onto his dick. How she didn't stop working her hips until she had satisfied him too. She also wasn't a selfish lover. How his mouth and hands kept finding her breasts. He had paid special attention to them as he had cupped and massaged their fullness in both of his hands. How his thumbs hand fluttered across her nipples with the smallest of touches, before pulling, and pinching them. His mouth and teeth had been the most pleasurable with the way he had licked, sucked and suckled, flick and flickered, and bit her hard and engorged nipples. She could tell that out of all her body parts he loved her breasts the best. She laughed to herself again. She couldn't blame him. They were big, round, and soft. Definitely a lot to hang onto.

Aria pulled herself from out of her memories as she set up in bed, the sheets falling away from her naked body. It felt a bit strange not waking up next to Mr. Fitz beside her. She had quickly grown use to his presence. A warm body next to hers. New York City had given her, her first real taste of what it was like to have someone sleep next to her. She loved sleeping in his arms. Being next to him, their bodies caressing each other in a soft symphony of words. It had made her feel safe and protected. She had felt contentment. She loved the feel of his body heat merging with hers, being in tune with hers. The feel of his arms wrapped around her, and the loud sound of his snoring in her ears. She loved gazing upon his beautiful face in the early morning. She watched for the little movements he made in his deep slumber. Movements he wasn't even aware of. Knew existed, but she did. Any small twitch. A flutter of an eyelid. She reveled in this.

Her thoughts flashing back to that moment when he had thought she had been asleep as his eyes had looked over her face, her body. She had stayed very still to not alert him to her being awake and was observing him. She had paid close attention to his face, trying to freely read his unguarded expressions without him knowing. It was said that a face could reveal a person's true desire. A heart's desire to be exact. She knew that it was absurd to believe in a myth like that, but she found that she didn't care. What was life if you didn't take a risk? Didn't jump into something with both feet planted firmly in the earth's soil? She was all about living carefree. She had read lust as he had fought to remain in control, had read more conflict within himself, but there had been something else. Something just underneath the surface. She had been shocked at the strength of it. Her heart had been beating rather fast. What had that emotion been? It had just been out of her grasp. She refused to believe that he felt anything real for her. She didn't care how small it was. She was afraid of her own feelings towards him, if she was made to confront them. Afraid of what she might learn. Of what she might find. What she might actually feel for him. She didn't want to think about it anymore. No good would come of what she and Mr. Fitz had. What did they have anyway? She couldn't define it. She couldn't put it into words of understanding. Her brain was hurting at the power to figure it out mathematically. She was confident that she just wanted sex from him. Yeah, that was what it was. She felt loads better already. She was done questioning herself. She was positive that Mr. Fitz felt the same way. Oh god, why did she still have to keep calling him Mr. Fitz? Why not Ezra? They were well past the point of a normal student and teacher relationship. Maybe because it felt a lot safer. It made her feel like she still had some sort of control of the situation. She never thought in her wildest dreams that she would be having an affair with one of her high school teachers'. Now, A college professor, now that was a different story.

She had enjoyed teasing him with her scandalous behavior, when she had lifted up the shirt he had let her burrow to sleep in, showing him her see through panties. She had played with herself pornographically, rubbing the palms of her hands against her mound furiously. The look on his face at her bold display had been comical. Especially at seeing how big his eyes had gotten. The gorgeous blue of his eyes as they had darkened with a slight hint of his thirst as the initial shock wore off. Her only regret being that he had stopped her from slipping her hand inside of her panties. She would have really giving him a show to remember. One that would have gotten his cock even harder for her.

She got out of bed, wincing at the soreness she experienced between her thighs. She sucked in a sharp breath as the discomfort became more pronounced. She was bone tired and in so much pain as she walked over to his closet to grab one of his shirts to cover up her nude form. Her body still had to adjust to his great size, but she wasn't complaining. She liked having a remainder that last night had clearly happened. Her nipples burned when the fabric of the shirt brushed them as she buttoned up the shirt haphazardly as she glanced about the bedroom. Mr. Fitz still wasn't in sight. Didn't he hear her get up? She wasn't technically being quiet. In fact, she was making a lot of ruckus with her clumsy movements around the room. She didn't bother with putting on any underwear, or socks for that matter, choosing to go bare foot instead. Where could he be? She thought in her head as she was biting on her bottom lip. She couldn't believe that she had passed out once again after having sex with him. It had been so intense, but that wasn't any excuse.. She had to seriously stop doing that. It wasn't attractive and it was abnormal. She wanted to turn him on, not turn him off. She was such an idiot. Maybe having that type of habit clued him in on just how naïve she was about sex. If only it hadn't been so ungodly amazing she wouldn't have slept so hard, and she would have heard him when he had gotten up. There was no point in dwelling over spoiled milk.

Aria's doe-eyed gaze fell on the closed bathroom door, her mouth curving into its usual seductive smile as she made her way over to the door, stumbling a little over the thick carpet in the process. She easily caught herself, before continuing on. She knocked, but when she didn't hear any answer, or sounds of life behind the door, she opened it and nobody there. Nothing, but an empty dark bathroom staring back in her face, her brows lifting up in confusion. She closed the door back, then she moved away from the doorway, and then she headed out the bedroom to go in search for Mr. Fitz around the apartment. She ran a thoughtless hand through her hair as she walked into the laundry room, still not seeing a glimpse of Mr. Fitz anywhere. Then she left out the room and went into his office across the hall, her face still mirroring its bewilderment as she left out his office, still not finding him. She chewed on her bottom lip as she ran another disoriented hand through her hair as she headed into the front room to look for him, not looking to see where she was walking, her mind preoccupied elsewhere.

Where was he? Did he go out to get them breakfast? Questions ran through her head. She didn't mind cooking for him again. Did he go out to get the morning paper? Was he at the post office checking his mailbox? Was he with Jamiee? Did he regret last night too? More questions ran through her mind as she nibbled harder on her lip. She didn't want to think about that. Not after their time together last night. It had been wonderful. She knew she had said that she didn't care about him using her to ease his pain. But really, she had just been willing to take what he had offered her. She had just wanted to feel him inside of her, filling that aching void of need that had no face.

A stinging pain brought her out of her deep thoughts as she looked down to see that she had walked on broken glass on the floor. She had forgotten that Mr. Fitz had thrown both the glass and the bottle of alcohol in his angr last night. She felt as pieces of glass shards sliced through her foot. Felt as her warm sticky blood coated the hard floor beneath her feet. She hissed in pain as she felt the glass go in deeper. Felt as more of her blood littered the floor in a red puddle. Damn glass, She cursed inside of her head in pain as she hopped over to the couch, plopping down on it, and then she cradled her injured foot in her lap as it bled profusely. She yipped in pain again as she began picking out the little pieces of glass with her long fingernails. Certainly not a great way to start off her day with crappy luck. She made sure that she had every piece of glass out, before she stood up again, testing out her hurt food, and then she limped to the bathroom, knowing that she was staining the floor even more with her blood. She had to step the severe bleeding, and she had to keep the wound from getting infected.

She opened up the medicine cabinet, looking for what she needed. She grabbed a couple of Q-tips, a bottle of green rubbing alcohol and a bottle of peroxide, a band aid, and a tube of ointment, before she sat down on the edge of the bathtub to apply first aid. When she was done, she put everything back into its rightful place, and then she left out the bathroom and headed into the kitchen, watching out for anymore broken glass on the floor. She grabbed the broom, dust pan and a dishrag, and a bucket full of cleaning supplies, before going back into the front room to clean up the mess she made. She swept up all the pieces of broken glass, then she dumped it into the trash bin, and then she got down on her hands and knees to scrub away the dark droplets of blood. She got back up when she was done, wiping the sweat away from off of her brows as she took the things back into the kitchen, then she went to go put the dishrag into the washing machine, before heading back to the kitchen. She washed her hands off at the sink, blowing out a breath of exhaustion. She was starving, her tummy giving a growl of protest in agreement. She wiped her hands off on a dishcloth, and then she walked over to the refrigerator to look for something eatable to eat. She spotted an aluminum foil covered plate, so she took that in one hand, then she grabbed a bottle of orange juice with her other hand, and then she closed the refrigerator door with her good foot and made her way over to the kitchen table.

She uncovered the plate, her eyes gazing over the scrumptious food, her stomach letting out another fuss as her brown colored eyes feasted on the meal in front of her. She had homemade chicken salad, cubs of different cheeses and slices of meat, small veggies, fruit and crackers, cold fried chicken, macaroni salad, and one Vanilla cupcake with red buttercream frosting. She dug in, using the utensils already supplied in the plate as she ate with a famish fever. She belched loudly, laughing as she pushed the paper plate away from her. She was literally stuffed, her eyes wandering around the empty apartment. She wanted to see him. She wanted to see Mr. Fitz before she headed off to work. She had come to love this tiny little flat. She became lazily and didn't want to move a muscle, but she made herself get up to go throw away the plate with the utensils, the plastic bottle of discarded Sunny D orange juice, and the aluminum foil cover, her mind straying far away.

She was happy that Mr. Fitz and Jamiee had broken up. She wasn't the least bit sorry about it. She really didn't care that she was the reason that divided them. Like she said before, she was selfish for the most part. She wanted him all to herself. She always went after something she wanted. Had been that way since she was a child. It was so obvious that he and Jamiee weren't meant to be together anymore. She guessed she could possibly emphasize with Mr. Fitz on being upset and angry over his spilt with Jamiee. After all, they had been together for three long years. Maybe somewhere deep down inside of him, he wanted his relationship with Jamiee to be over. But, she didn't believe that. He had been way too committed to his relationship. Had he cheated on Jamiee before? Or was she just the exception? If so, why her? Why had it taken her to make him stray from a long term commitment? To betrayal the woman he claimed to love? What was so special about her? What did she have that the others didn't have? She knew it couldn't just be her looks. She knew there have to have been other countless of beautiful women throwing themselves at him. And, why not, Mr. Fitz was the most beautiful man she had ever seen in her lifetime.

Maybe now he wouldn't feel like he was deceiving Jamiee when they had sex again. The mere thought caused a flip in the pit of her stomach. She was absolutely certain that they were going to sleep together yet again. That they were going to fuck like rabid bunnies, her sexy lips lifting into a smirk at her crude language. She was far from being a poster girl for modesty. That just wasn't in her vocabulary. She found that she quite liked being the dominator last night. Liked being the one on top. The one in control. Liked feeling the way his cock had slid in and out of her weeping pussy with his timely strokes.

The screwing between them last night had been different than the first. A good kind of different. Their first time had been more slow, tame, and passionate, but their second time had been rougher, wild, and edgier. She loved that they had so many sides to their love making. She didn't think that she could ever grow bored of him, or that he would grow tired of her. They matched so well sexually. They balanced each other out. Sex with him would never lose its appeal. It would always be fun, exciting, and vehement. However, she wasn't opposed to him teaching her more fundamentals about sex. He had about eight years on her. She wanted to know more about what he liked, and what he didn't like. Would he let her? She shook her head to free it from the ongoing thoughts as she headed towards the bathroom to get ready for work. She couldn't be late. She was still hopeful that Mr. Fitz would show up before she left.

Aria stepped from the shower, wrapping a large jade green Egyptian cotton towel around her dripping wet body as she made her way over to the sink without falling flat on her ass. She brushed her already pearly white teeth, and then she rinsed her mouth out with mouthwash, cringing at the bitter taste it left inside her mouth as she screwed the cap back onto the bottle, before combing through her glimmering dark long hair with a wide tooth comb. Her hands worked expertly as she looked into the mirror as she put her hair into a messy Fishtail braid, the long plait falling over her breast as she relished in her handy work. She started to apply her make-up, her trained eyes never leaving her reflection as her hands grabbed what she needed in front of her.

She coated her luscious lips with a Moth To Flame mac dazzleglass, brushing on one more coat to make her mouth more sparkly, then she rubbed on shimmery brown eyeshadow on both of her top eyelids and brushed on shimmery blue eyeshadow on both of her bottom eyelids, and then she penciled in navy blue eyeliner on both of her eyes, making sure to not use a lot. She didn't want to walk around like a clown. Then she brushed on thick brown mascara to accentuate her already brown eyes on her top lashes, and then she applied some mascara on her bottom lashes, adding an even thicker coat to make her lashes appear thicker and longer than they originally were. Her big eyes more than stood out now. She normally didn't dapple in too much blush, but she wanted to bring some color into her already creamy complexion, so she padded on a peachy tint on both sides of her cheeks.

She scanned over her look, seemingly happy with her appearance. She sat down on the toilet stool top, crossing her legs as she painted her fingernails, using the nail polish remover to get rid of the polish she had first, her nose wrinkling up at the awful smell. The things she did for beauty. She layered her nails with China Glaze Twinkle Lights nail polish, blowing as she went along to speed up the drying process, and then she hummed under her breath as she did her toenails. She hummed Adele's song Turning Tables, before giving up and singing the full song as she waited for her fingernails and toenails to dry. She added on a top coat of clear nail hardener, and then she sprayed on instant nail dryer on both her nails and toe nails, before getting up off the toilet stool. She collected all of her things, and then she left out the bathroom to head into the bedroom to get dress.

Aria let the towel dropped down to the floor, her hand taking hold of her bottle of strawberry lemonade body lotion as she administered the cool substance onto her skin, the strawberry smell filling up her nose. Her eyes browsed over the red markings between her inner thighs, waist, and butt. She snickered as she thought of Mr. Fitz, loving that the love marks had been made by him. Had come from him. She applied some lotion on her breasts and onto her belly, before tossing the bottle down onto the bed. She put on her navy blue signature lace bra, before putting on the matching signature lace thong. She squeezed into a pair of rinse colored diva skinny jeans, then she pulled on a locomotive colored I love New York graphic tee over her head, then she put her arms through an animal–print cardigan, and then she sat down onto the foot of the bed and tugged on a pair of Cognac brown short cowboy boots. She got up, and then she started throwing all her belongings into her big polka dot tote bag, making sure she had gathered everything up, before she left his apartment. She felt sad at the thought.

She hooked on a pair of gold hoop earrings into her small earlobes as she slung her tote bag over her right shoulder as she prepared to leave out the room. Her expressive brown eyes lingered around the bedroom, before she ultimately walked out of the room. She still couldn't believe that Mr. Fitz still hadn't shown up. A nagging feeling in the back of her head suggested that there was something she didn't know, but she just pushed it away and ignored it entirely. She had never been paranoid, and she wasn't going to start now. She gave her head a hard shake. As much as she wanted to stay and see him, she couldn't. She had to be at the book rack. She gave the apartment another yearning look, before leaving out the front door.

When she got to the book rack she got right to work, going into the staff employee room to change into her uniform shirt, and then she left out and began setting up the small reserved area for the book signing that was going to be held later on tonight for the new upcoming female author of the widely popular North Star series. The fantasy books were centered around three best friends who find out that they are powerful witches with exceptional powers, that they are the last guardians, that an evil group known as the vanquishers are after them, and they that are from the North Star. The author was going to be signing copies of the third book in her series. She fixed up the table that the author was going to be using, then she set up the chairs and sectioned off specific parts with tape for the waiting fans, next she went to go set up the two display tables that was going to be on either side of the main table, and then she headed off to one of the back rooms and brought out four massive boxes fill to the top with carbon copies of the third book. She stacked and placed the books on the display tables, then shoved the two remaining boxes with her foot underneath the main table, and then she headed back to the storage room to unpack the unopened boxes of brand new releases. After she had all the books unloaded and sorted into their right piles, she stamped price tags on the front cover of every book, and then one by one she hauled all the books onto the moving cart to transport them to their proper location around the store.

Time was moving fast as she pushed the cart around the store, stocking, and restocking the many different titles. She was tempted enough with wanting to find a cozy spot and read one of the newest books that caught her interest. That was one of the benefits of working in a book store. She had first claim on all the new books. Occasionally, she assisted some of the customers if they stopped her for help to search for a particular novel they had in their psyche. She didn't mind. It was part of her job description. She made it her goal to be patient with them and to always keep a smile planted on her face. After she got done with all the hassle of placing books onto shelves, she went to go grab her clipboard and walked around and took inventory as she conversed with some of her co-workers. She verified what they needed more of in simple terms as her pen scrawled across the paper, then she checked off what they had in and marked out what wasn't selling, then she highlighted what items were missing, and then she tallied everything up at the bottom of the sheet of paper, before going to replace the clipboard back at the designated work station.

Her mind drifted off towards Mr. Fitz as she walked over to work at the customer service counter, her head not really into what she was doing. He constantly stuck within the walls of her membrane like a remembrance. His precise words to her about what happened between them their first night together had been a mistake rung throughout her cranium. She had flinched at the blunt statement. Of course, she had read the regret in his eyes before, but never had he said the words to her face. She had been bothered by his words, but she hadn't let on that his words had any impact on her. Had he really regretted it? Or had it just been the alcohol talking? Or had it been over his distraught at losing Jamiee? She didn't know why it bugged her so much. It wasn't like she had any certifiable feelings for him. And she had meant it when she had told him that she wasn't going to fall in love with him. It did no good to development anything serious for him. Not that he would allow it anyway. She pulled herself out of her abysmal thoughts as she monitored the next five store shipments on the computer. She helped additional patrons as she ordered, reserved, or cancelled books for them on their online store. She even abetted customers over the phone with her expertise, taking vital calls as well. She searched the website for the books Spencer wanted her to find effortlessly with the click of the mouse. She answered her last phone call, and shut down the central computer as she disregarded the unwanted attention of the flirtatious males surrounding her as she focused on her work. Only one man held her interest.

Aria was more than pleased when it came time for her lunch break. She didn't feel like leaving work and having to come straight back, so she opted to have lunch at the café in the store. She stood in the long line as she waited to order her food. It wasn't that long until the line was moving smoothly. She smiled at the girl she recognized as Aimee working at the service counter as she placed her order. She was surprised to see her. She usually didn't work until night shift. Aria shrugged her shoulders carelessly as she looked around the store, her eyes absorbing all the diverse customers. The book rack was pretty busy today. She guessed it was because it was a Saturday, and people didn't have many important things to do besides relaxation. She ordered herself a Cheeseburger with ketchup, bacon, and onions, large French fries without a lot of salt, a slice of Pecan pie with whipped cream, and a cup of hot herbal Tea with lemon. She paid her money, and then she waited off to the side for her food. It wasn't that long of a wait as she grabbed her tray of food off the counter, and then she sauntered over to take a seat at one of the numerous round tables. She was just about too chowed down into her ambrosial food, when her cell phone rung, interrupting her highly upset tummy. She fumbled into her pocket for her phone, and then without looking to see who called, she pressed the small electronic device to her right ear. She was secretly hoping it was Mr. Fitz, but then she came to the crazy realization that she had never gave him her number, or got his number in return.

"Hello, "Aria said into the phone as she plucked the bottle of ketchup up to dump some more onto her Cheeseburger, licking up the little drop that fell onto her finger.

"Hey cutie," Adam's vibrant voice filled her eardrum. "I was calling to reconfirm are plans about tonight. Are you still game? Please say you are".

She had totally forgotten about her plans with Adam tonight. Honestly, she hadn't even once thought of him at all today. As much as she wanted to back out with hopes of spending another night with Mr. Fitz, she couldn't. She had already promised him. And, plus she wanted to see his sister Lauren.

"Yes," Aria said smiling into the receiver, before taking a large bite of her Cheeseburger. "Lauren is still coming right? I can't wait to see her".

She couldn't keep the excitement from out of her voice.

"Good, I'm glad to hear it. And about that, Lauren couldn't make it. Evidently, she and mom ate at some new Jamaican restaurant and she got some kind of food poisoning," Adam said conversationally. "But she's going to be all right. I just told her to stay away from any Jamaican restaurants from now on".

"That's terrible. I hope she gets better," Aria said with compassion, her own stomach hurting at the horrible experience as she dunked two of her fries into her ranch sauce. She was happy that she had never gone through anything excruciating like that. "So, it's just you, me, and your Dad tonight then?"

"No, Dad has to work a double shirft at the police station tonight," Adam informed her, speaking a little louder because of the million voices in the background at the supermarket. "It will just be you and me alone. Are you cool with that? I really did want you to have dinner with my family".

"Yes, I'm cool with that," Aria said laughing as she took another bite from her Cheeseburger. "Maybe I can have dinner with your family some other time again?"

"You're amazing, you know that," Adam said with awe in his voice, feeling as a smile shaped his mouth. "And definitely. I'll be sure to plan ahead, instead of at the last minute. What do you feel like eating?"

"What can you make? Or are you cooking?" Aria asked as she popped a fry into her mouth, munching as she waited for the deep sound of his voice again. "Just to warn you I hate anything with carrots or spinach in it".

He laughed at her admission.

"Well, I'm a lousy cook for starters, but I make killer Tacos and Nachos senortita, "Adam said that little bit in Spanish, sounding proud. "Do you like salsa? Or would you prefer guacamole?"

"Wow, Mexican. I'm impress senor, and that sounds delicioso," Aria said back in Spanish, copying him. Spanish classes had truly come in handy. "And I love both, so either one is fine".

"Okay," Adam said, sounding thrilled. "And I really hope Mexican is all right. I just didn't want to get you sick if I attempted to make you anything else".

"No, really it sounds prefect," Aria with absolute honesty, before taking a sip of her steaming Tea. "What are we drinking?"

"I'm throwing together some Margaritas for us", Adam said with a hint of mischief in his voice. "Are you okay with Alcohol being in it? I don't have to put Alcohol in yours".

"Sounds tasty," Aria said smacking her lips as she stuffed another French fry into her open mouth. "I'm no stranger to liquor".

"So, is that a yes?" Adam asked with a sexy chuckle, which sounded a lot deeper over the phone. "I promise not to take advantage of you. "I'll be a perfect gentleman".

Aria had to laugh at that, knowing Adam all too well. But, she did trust him".

"Si," Aria said, speaking in Spanish again as she took another sip of her hot Tea.

"That's my girl," Adam said with laughter. "Look, I have to get back to work, but I'll see you later on tonight".

"Hasta pronto!" Aria said flawlessly.

"Hasta luega," Adam responded good-bye back in his choppy, somewhat sloppy Spanish.

She hung up, putting the cell phone back into her pocket. Her lunch break was over with, and she hadn't eaten all of her food. Time had slipped away as she got lost talking to Adam. She was still hungry, but there was nothing she could do about that now. She got up begrudgingly, hating that she had to throw away perfectly good food. Her abdomen giving a twisted jerk as the food fell off the tray into the trash. She mourned her wasted food for a fraction of a second, before getting back to work. She would just have to get something else later, or she would just wait until she got to Adam's house tonight. She got back to work, working at one of the cash registers at the front of the store. Her fingers were getting numb as she rung up customer after customer, smiling somewhat stiffly. She was getting sick from the smell of money. Her mind was freezing up as she counted up the customers change. She was more than thankfully when a guy came to relieve her of her position. She went to go help Jennifer out with the store props she was having a hard time dealing with. Decorating was definitely easy, but she couldn't wait to clock out completely .

"So, are you going to the junior prom?" The blue eyed girl asked as she took a prop from her. "We only get one".

Jennifer was her friend from Physics. She was sweet, nice and beautiful, and popular like Aria.

"I don't know. I haven't decided yet," Aria said with uncertainty as she bit her bottom lip, handing the red headed girl the staple gun. "I know that Hanna is going".

"Please tell me that you're coming," Jennifer begged her as she took another prop from her. "And yeah, she told me that she's going with Caleb".

"Are you going?" Aria asked as she gave her the tape. "Spencer is going because she organized it, but I think Emily has to work that night".

"Of course. I'm going with Alec," Jennifer said, not being able to hide her blush. Aria couldn't blame her. He was the quarterback of the varsity football team. And he was hot to look at. He just wasn't her type. "And that's a bummer about Emily not getting off to go. Do you know about Wes going?"

Jennifer watched for her reaction, but Aria just gave her a blank expression, hoping that she would somehow get the message. She could care less who Wes was going out with, or taking to the junior prom. She wasn't going to lose any sleep over it. She had dumped him, and she preferred not to look back.

"He's going with Tiffany Wesley," Jennifer shared with her as though she had asked, taking another prop from Aria. "Supposedly, they've been dating for three days now".

"Great," Aria said with a tight smile, trying to keep the irritated look from her facial expression.

Aria punched out, and she was officially off of work. She was starved for fresh air as she walked out of the book rack, inhaling the air and all its fumes acquisitively. She had a spontaneous idea involving Mr. Fitz. She was still craving for food, and she wanted to see him again. Just thinking about what they had done the night before brought a warm feeling to her belly, making her thoroughly wet. She thought that he was probably home about now. Never one to back down from a challenge at getting what she wanted, she walked three doors down to the Chinese restaurant Shun Xing. She waited in line behind a couple, looking over a menu to see what she was going to get for her and Mr. Fitz. She had no clue what kind of Chinese food he liked. She didn't want to get anything he was allergic to. She chewed on her bottom lip nervously as her eyes roamed over the different food selections. Everything looked so yummy. She was going to go with her gut instinct when she put in her order, feeling fairly confident. She ordered them a large Beef Fried Rice with a dollar extra of Shrimp, Lobster, and Pork, then a large House Lo Mein and Fried Chicken Wings, Terriyaki Chicken, two Spring Rolls and Egg Rolls, Cheese Wonton and Friend Crab Sticks, and Fortune Cookies. She headed towards a yellow and white booth to wait on her and Mr. Fitz's food.

While she waited, Aria peeked into her bag of items she had purchased at the book rack just before she had left. She had brought books by her favorite female authors of all time. They wrote good romance, mystery and suspense, and smut that were out of this world. She got seven books by Karen Robards, three by Lisa Jackson and two by Johanna Lindsey, four by Elizabeth Lowell, and five books by Connie Mason. She reached a hand into the cream colored bag, her fingers caressing the fine paperbacks as she traced the titles with her fingertips. She got up when her phone number was called, stopping by the cooler to grab two can sodas, before going up to the counter to paid for their food. She watched patiently as the Asian girl put soy sauce, duck sauce and chopsticks, napkins, and plastic white forks into her big brown paper bag, and then she handed the order over. She took the heavy bag, and then she left out the restaurant, heading towards her parked car.

The drive to Mr. Fitz's apartment was short and quick with the fewer cars she encountered. Her fingers were drumming on the steering wheel as she drove into the parking garage. She was smiling like a lunatic as she took hold of the grocery store like bag from the car, before making her way up to the tiny apartment. Her breath caught at the thought of feeling him inside of her again. Would he let them have a third time? She would sex him better than last night. Better than the first time. All he had to do was say yes. It was a simple uncomplicated response. But, then again, everything with Mr. Fitz was complicated.

Aria was just about to knock on his door, when she was momentarily distracted by the door across the hallway opening up instead. An older coloured woman with gentle dark brown eyes, and a warm smile stepped out of her apartment, her face showing her surprise at seeing Aria outside of Mr. Fitz's door. She gave Aria a friendly smile. Her smile was so infectious, that Aria couldn't help but to smile back at the nice woman. Aria could tell that she had been a beauty in her time.

"Are you looking for Ezra dear heart," The lady asked in a wispy voice as she gazed into her eyes. "My you sure are a beautiful picture. My name is Pattie Mae Johnson, and you are?"

Aria smiled again shyly.

"Aria-Aria Montgomery," Aria said softly as she smiled once more. "And yes I am".

"I'm sorry to tell you this sweetie pie, but Ezra is gone," Pattie Mae Johnson said as clutched her big crocodile purse in her hand. "Yeah, I think that's about right. I saw for myself. He had suitcases and everything".

The earth felt like it was caving in, getting ready to swallow her up.

"Wha-What" Aria stammered as her heart drummed sonorously as she looked back at the older lady like she had gone senile. "Are you sure?" She knew for sure that Pattie Mae could hear it. That couldn't be right. Could it? Mr. Fitz just wouldn't leave town without telling her. He wouldn't just take off. Would he? Then again, she didn't know him all that well. She just never peg him for that type.

"Do you know when?" Aria asked, as she finally brought herself from out of her comatose woman had to be mistaken somehow. She had to be.

"I think it was about around noon is when I saw him," Pattie Mae said adamantly in thought as she put her finger to her lips to recall the memory. Yeah, that's about right. I have a good recollection so I never forget a face. Especially not a face as handsome as Ezra Fitz".

Pattie Mae gave a little titter of a laugh. She had been at work. If only she had known. What would you have done? She asked herself.

"Do you know when he'll be back?" Aria asked as she was biting her bottom lip, her heart still beating fast inside of chest as she tried to comprehend what Pattie Mae had said. "Is it possible that you may have gotten it wrong?"

She didn't want to sound disrespectful, or anything, but she was having a hard time believing this revelation. But, somewhere deep inside of her mind she knew Pattie Mae was speaking the truth. She had no reason to lie to her. She didn't know her, or what her relation was to Mr. Fitz. She felt bad at her wrong perception of the kind older woman. It was like she couldn't breathe. Couldn't seem to face the harsh reality that was staring her back in the face. Couldn't accept the hard evidence thrown at her. Was she having a panic attack?

"I think I heard him tell the person on the phone that he was leaving for a while. That he had to clear his head and sort some things out," Pattie Mae rattled on, failing to see the color draining from out of Aria's face at each pronunciation. "He said that getting out of Rosewood was for the best. That it was the right thing to do. That the opportunity couldn't have come at a more appropriate time.

She shook her head, trying to clear away the fog as she tried to put pieces together.

"Do you have any idea where he went?" Aria asked in a soft whisper, hoping to get an answer out of the woman. "Did anyone else show up with him? Maybe a gorgeous woman with black hair?"

"I'm sorry dear, but I don't" Pattie Mae apologized with a sympathetic smile as she noticed Aria's distressed look for the first time as she eyed the young girl with motherly concern. "And I'm confident that I saw him come alone. Are you all right sugar? You look a little bit under the weather".

"That's a good sign," Aria said more to herself out loud. She was relieved to hear that Jamiee hadn't been with him. "And I'm fine".

Aria knew that was a lie. She wasn't fine, but she smiled reassuringly anyway. She tried to mask her countenance as best as she could, not realizing that the old lady wasn't easily fooled.

"And how do you know Ezra honey?" Pattie Mae asked; still not quite convince that the girl was okay. "I'll admit I've never seen you around here. I just know his girlfriend Jamiee, and his best friend Reed".

"Mr. Fitz is my high school English teacher, "Aria said dazedly, not seeing the harm in disclosing that information to her as she looked off in the distance.

Aria had no idea that she was breathing heavily, or that she was looking paler by the second. She didn't even hear when the woman asked her a question, or when she repeated that same question. Where did Mr. Fitz go off to? Was she the reason? Of course she was. She choked back a bitter laugh. Now she didn't even know if he would ever come back and finish the school term. She wasn't ready for their affair to be over with.

"Dearie are you sure you're all right?" Pattie Mae asked again as she shook her arm gently, looking over the girl's shaky form, not liking what she was seeing.

"Yeah, I'm fine" Aria lied as she shook her head again, rubbing her hands across her face as she gave her a half smile, before biting her bottom lip again.

"Well, if you're sure, "Pattie Mae said with a look of skepticism as she stepped away from her, still giving her a weary look, but she didn't push the subject. "I don't feel comfortable just leaving you like this dear heart, but I have to get to my doctor's appointment at Rosewood's medical center".

"Oh, I'm okay really," Aria said with a strong conviction as she waved it off, toughing up her exterior as she looked into her troubled eyes.

Aria watched as the woman walked off, seeing as she gave her a backward glance, still checking to see if she was all right. Only when she was completely out of sight, did Aria let her false facade fall. She hugged her middle as she leaned against the door, looking unseeingly out as her mind contemplated everything. What was wrong with her? She and Mr. Fitz weren't anything to each other. They weren't an item. What did she expect? Nothing her mind screamed. It was true, but why did she care? Why was she feeling this way? God, she was so confused at her bizarre behavior. She hugged herself tighter, shutting her eyes as she took deep breathes, breathing in and out as she gathered her thoughts. It felt like everything was spinning. Like she could scarcely breathe correctly. Think rationally. She was being dramatic. Wasn't she? Did Mr. Fitz want to get away from her that bad? Apparently, yes. Her throat contracted at that thought. She was having trouble swallowing passed the huge lump that had formed in her throat. Her teeth sank deeper into her soft lip as she tried desperately to shut out everything around her. Every sound. Every little noise that tried to break through her barrier.

She had known this would happen. That her little seduction game would end eventually. She just didn't think that it would have ended this soon. Mr. Fitz was a grown male for god sakes. She had asked for this. She was the one who had started this whole reaction chain of events. Was she dewy-eyed to think that she could keep this charade up? From the beginning it had just been a conquest for her. Sex, and nothing more. Nothing else. Nothing serious anyway. Just a big fat win in her corner. She had just been determined to prove to herself. Proved that she could do it. That she could do whatever she wanted. Get anything she wanted at the snap of her fingers. How wrong she had been. She had been Stupid, naïve, and cocky. She had been so self-assured in her plans. In the fact was, she didn't know anything. Was she that idiotic to think that she could keep him enthralled with her? She bet he thought that she was just some dimwitted little school girl. She bet that he was somewhere right now laughing at her. She laughed to herself acidly, trying to keep herself from blubbering like some infant. She had thought that she was playing him along, but in the end he had played her. He had played her like a fiddle. How could she not have seen? Known at least?

Why was her chest hurting? How could she have been so dumb to believe his words of not wanting to hurt her? Was she hurt? No, she wasn't. She didn't know if she was being in denial, or if she was being delusional. She was neither. She didn't care really. She had never set out to catch real honest to god feelings for him. To get attached to him. Sex from him had been the only thing she had been after right from the start. She just didn't understand. She opened her eyes back up, pushing herself from off of the door, her eyes glancing down at the brown paper bag of food at her feet. She had to get away from here. So many confusing emotions were running through her head pestering her, and she just wanted it all to stop. She didn't want to stay there and face them. To remain and face whatever real truth there was to be discovered. She had more important things to think about, her date with Adam tonight being one of them. Her feet of their own accord, carried her away from Mr. Fitz's apartment. She didn't for a minute look back. She just kept going. She was going to go home and get ready for her night with Adam. She smiled warmly at that thought. Her last thought being that Mr. Fitz couldn't run, that he couldn't hide either. That he would forever be haunted by his memories of her, her lips twisting up into a seductive smirk. Just how long would he be able to stay away from her?

**Sorry for the wait guys, but I am really busy. Especially with work. I had a little writers block and I wasn't too happy with how this chapter turned out, but I promise that the next chapter will be way better. Anyway, What did you think? Review and be perfectly honest. Ezra POV is up next.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

**Ezra POV**

**Six weeks later…**

It felt weird as Ezra walked through the doors of Rosewood high school, feeling nervous and anxious as he made his way to the office. The hallways were deserted and quiet, only hearing the resounding noise of his feet hitting against the hard marble floor. The atmosphere smelled strongly of ink and fresh parchment, his fingers fumbling with the straps of his shoulder bag as he fastened all of its compartments. He was two hours early as it was still dark out, desiring to have everything done before his morning classes. One of the school janitors had allowed him in. It wasn't uncommon for them to see some of the teachers come in early.

He had been gone for a month and two weeks. He considered his time away too long. He had to get back into the routine of things. He had to reacquaint himself with his scholarly duties. He wondered what things had occurred in his absence. Five weeks had been dedicated to the teacher state conference in North Carolina. He had been one of the teachers selected to attend, but it had been his choice to make ultimately. At the time it had been the right decision to make, and it had been a great opportunity to learn how to enhance his teaching capabilities.

During that time period he had tried without much success in rekindling things with Jamiee, but she had been opposed to it. She had said that with time she would be able to forgive him, but she wouldn't be able to forget, or trust him completely. For four weeks straight he had tried, but at least she had talked to him. That she had heard him out. He could tell in her voice that she still loved him, but she was still hurt over his betrayal. Finally, he had come to a pain stricken conclusion that, that chapter was over with in his life. He would always love her, but maybe it was for the best that they didn't get back together. He was at a crossroad in his life now. He was getting older. He had to start making better decisions. He had to look forward to his future. Decide what he wanted out of life. Decide who he wanted to be with. To spend the rest of his life with. Life was too short and too precious to let it slip away, or spend time with having many regrets. He had to focus on the road ahead of him, instead of looking back over his shoulder. He wasn't going to regret anything anymore. He was going to start going after things he wanted now. His perception was clearer now. His time away had made him all the more wiser. He just hoped it wasn't too late.

He spoke to the two women behind the front desk, before walking over to check his mailbox. His eyes shuffled through the numerous invoices, memos and newsletters, letters, events, and his Rosewood newspaper. He learned that he was going to be chaperoning the junior prom. He didn't even know that the school had a junior prom. He could only recall senior proms. Junior proms were so rare in some school districts. No wonder he had noticed all the campaign posters plastered around the school for prom king and queen. He remembered winning homecoming king for his senior prom. He wondered who was running as he left out the office, his blue eyes coming into contact with more candidate posters. He came to a full stop when he came to a poster with Aria's name and face on it. She was more beautiful than ever, feeling a familiar stirring in his groin, his breath catching slightly. He pulled his eyes away, and then he looked around to see who her competitions' were. It was Hanna Marin, and some girl name Jennifer Lawrence. He knew that Aria was on the yearbook staff, but he had no idea that she was the editor. Hanna was the school gossip columnist, and Jennifer was the head cheerleader. All three girls were popular.

He could easily tell that the competition would be fierce. Each girl was exceptionally gorgeous in their own way, but he had eyes only for Aria. Her succulent lips were a dusty pink; her big beautiful brown eyes stared back at him. How am I going to begin to explain my reasons for leaving to you? He asked in his head. Reasons that didn't have anything to do with you, but me? It would be much easier for him to divulge every detail to the poster, than to her. He silently questioned if he had made the right decision to leave. He knew without a doubt that it had been. He wouldn't change his choice. It had been the right call in judgment. His call nonetheless. He shook his head, looking at the three male candidates. He recognized Wes Armstrong, but he didn't know Luke Williford, or Alec Rinehart. All three boys looked competitive. Even in their photo on their poster. It was ironic how all three of them were athletic. One was a swimmer, the other a baseball player, and one was a quarterback for the football team.

Ezra tore his eyes away, heading into the teachers lounge. He made a pot of fresh coffee. He had already ate breakfast at home. He had decided to get lunch in the cafeteria, instead of bringing his lunch from home today. He poured himself a cup of coffee, adding sugar, heavy cream and vanilla, whipped cream, and chocolate syrup, before taking a straw and stirring up the contents. He took a sip as he walked out of the lounge, heading in the direction of his classroom. He glanced down at his Deep Sea Rolex as he took another sip of his hot coffee. It was already 7 O'clock. He set down his mug of coffee on his desk, then he took off his leather black shoulder bag and placed it on top of his desk too, before opening it and pulling out the handouts he had printed out, and then he went about organizing his classroom. He wrote down his daily objectives on the blackboard in perfect cursive, then he wrote down the countdown until the end of school English exam, and then he went around the room and handed out the handouts to each individual desk, before going back to his seat.

He picked up his cup of coffee again, swallowing some down as his eyes looked about the room. His room still looked exactly the same. He took a seat behind his oak desk, leaning back in his chair as his hands rested underneath his chin in mute thought. He ran an uncensored hand through his hair, reaching for his mug blindly as he brought the cup back up to lips as he threw back the last drop of his decaf, before sitting back up. He stared down at his Rolex again. It was only 7:30 am. He still had some time to kill as he heard the other teachers entering their classrooms, some poking their heads into his room to communicate with him. He got up from out of his chair, leaving out his room to head back to refill his cup of coffee in the teachers' lounge.

Every minute and every second of the day while he had been away, his head had been filled with thoughts of Aria. Memories of their last night together. The night he had made love to her in his bed. Every waking hour had been filled with haunting images of that night. It had been so hard to concentrate at times. To remember what he was there to do. Even in his sleep he had no escape from her. He had even been tempted to call phone directory a few times to get her number and explain why he left. The way he left had felt cold and heartless. There was never a day that didn't go by that he didn't think about her. He had thought it was for the best that he didn't contact her. After all, she was just his student. It would haven been inappropriate, but nothing had been appropriate since first meeting her. From the very start boundaries had been crossed. Time and time again. But, he did owe her an explanation all the same. He had a feeling that she was possibly angry and hurt at what he had done, but he didn't blame her. He had walked out with not so much as a word of goodbye to her, and then he had gone to Reed's that night.

He had not thought about her feelings, or her. He knew that she probably thought he had used her all along, but that hadn't been the case. He had never wanted to hurt her, or Jamiee. But, this wasn't about Jamiee. This was about her. He had only used her for that night, and that night only. Hadn't he warned her? But she had replied that she didn't care. That's one of the things he had learned about Aria by now, that she cared. She may act like and pretend like she didn't care, but really she did. He had been all around selfish and uncaring of her feelings, and about hurting her. The fact that she had been willing to offer her body still didn't make it right. He should have told her no and told her to leave. He had gone to Reed's apartment and told him everything, leaving out Aria entirely. She hadn't been on his mind. Jamiee had been. His head had been screwed up. That night had been the worst time of his life. He had been in a bad place. He didn't ever want to revisit that night. The only highlight had been his time with Aria.

He shuddered inwardly as he thought about her mouth, inhaling sharply at what her mouth had done to him. The feel of her tiny hands touching him so intimately, one hand caressing his ball sack in the fairest of touches. How it had giving him tons of pleasure that was beyond amazing. Her mouth and tongue had felt incredibly good. She had given him the greatest blowjob. She had obviously known what she had been doing. He had never enjoyed the acted so much. If she was new at oral sex, then she sure fooled him. The way her tongue had lapped up his discharging pre cum, just before taking his whole varicose cock into her mouth. How she had fluctuated him with her tongue as she had licked up and down the magnitude of his dick, brushing over the visible veins. More and more of his pre cum had oozed out for her to lick up. The feel of her mouth closing around him as his fingers had ran through the softness of her hair as she started to suck him off. How it had been slow at first, before she had become more confident with what she was doing, sucking him harder and harder as he groaned out. How she had took every inch of him out of her mouth as she had sucked, chewed, and gnawed on his enlarged tip. How her teasing tongue had played with the opening slit at the top of his cock, smearing cum down his lengthy thick organ. How she had lubricated him some more with her saliva as she sucked him deeper and deeper, trying to cram all of him down her throat. The way he had let loose a guttural curse when she had bit down on the head of his cock, before pulling him back into the warmth that was her mouth. Over and over again she had sucked him harder and deeper as he hit the back of her gullet repetitively. He had never been more ready to release his load into her open mouth.

She had started to squeeze his ball sack harder as her head had bobbed up and down faster and faster as she gave him even deeper penetration. The clenching of his teeth as his orgasm finally came, her throat muscles constricting around him as his poured out his boat load of semen as he groaned out loud, shouting out her name as more and more of his cum shot down into her throat. She had swallowed his milky substance ravenously, being sure to lick up any stray drops left. The taste of himself on her lips. Inside of her of her mouth. The way her bottom plump lip had been swollen afterwards as her eyes expressed that she had liked it as much as him as they promised him more excitement to come.

Her roughness at pushing him down onto the bed, before ripping the condom wrapper open sexily with her resplendent white teeth. She had skillfully slid the sleek prophylactic rubber onto his still erectile cock, before climbing on top of him. How she had rubbed her saturated swollen pussy lips against the head of his dick repeatedly, coating him with her cunt juices. Her creamy mass had made him extra hard, making it more bearable for him to slip right into her, without him having to cause her too much unpleasantness with his immense size that she wasn't quite adjusted to. How she had eased herself down onto him, impelling herself all the way onto him. The felicity of her vociferous scream had pierced his eardrums. She had been every bit as tight, wet, and hot just as he remembered. Once more he had stretched her to the limit, filling her pussy to the breaking point. It had been uplifting to be inside of her again. To feel her walls enclosing him from all sides. To have his wish be granted at getting another chance to connect her body with his. It had felt so good to be able to thrust deeply and hard into her small narrow passage without much restriction, hearing her musical screams, cries and moans, wails, and deep heavy breathing that matched his.

The way his hands had gripped her waist tight with bruising strength to direct her unsure movements above him as he showed her the way it was done as he plunged his hips upward. Showed her what he liked as he thrusted into her never endingly, never wanting to stop. How she had rode his dick hard and fierce, her hips grinding into him as she bounced up and down as though she was riding a stallion. She had moved back and forth, side to side, and round and round as she thrusted downward, her thighs spreading wider to give him more depth inside of her moist castle. The weight of her sweet lips against his as they crushed down onto his as they kissed passionately, and hard with a lack of air between them, their tongues dancing wildly like an African dance. How the building friction and tension between their bodies had been electrical as he amplified his thrusting into her, her own body responding back consciously. Desperately as though she was starved for him.

How his mouth, tongue, and teeth had toyed with her breasts and tumescent nipples. He loved the fullness of her bosom. How they felt in the palm of his hands. How he had massaged and squeezed them, his thumbs rubbing the harden pebbles, before pinching, and tugging on them with his thumb and fore finger. The way his hands had roamed all over the different parts of her body, feeling the sweat that bathed both of their bodies. The smooth roundness of her ass in his hands as he had grasped each of her shapely ass cheeks as he pumped even deeper inside of her, moving faster and faster as he had brought her body to rapture. How his fingers had snaked their way between their bodies as he stimulated her engorged clit, giving her added pleasure. The way she had reached above his head to grab onto the headboard as she slammed herself down onto him again and again as her moans came more frequently, her voice rising shrilly with each upward thrust from him.

The way he had pounded harder up inside of her as he felt her rapidly approaching orgasm, her body shaking with uncontrollable spasms as she squeezed her inner muscle walls around his cock over and over again as her bliss tumbled over. How her hips had kept on moving so he could cum. So he could join her in the aftermath of euphoria. He had come so hard, that his semen had expanded the condom dangerously as it tinkered on the edge of bursting. It had been physically draining. How he had savored the feeling of remaining flaccid inside of her as he caught his breath and listened to her labored breathing as his hands ran over her back, loving the heftiness of her body on top of him. He had never been so thoroughly fucked, and satisfied in all his life. He would never get tired of making love to her. No matter if it was wrong on some many different levels. Sex with Aria was always new, exciting, and satisfying. He liked the feeling of having her on top of him, so demanding. He could teach her some more ways to enjoy the art of love making. He could teach her many new positions. He could let her learn what he liked and didn't like. He could learn what she liked and didn't like. Aria was a compatible lover. She was unselfish when giving her body. She wasn't afraid to hold back with him, or fear that she was doing something wrong. She allowed her body to guide her actions. She wasn't scared, or repulse by his aggressive passion.

Ezra was pulled from his eternal thoughts as the first period bell rung. He hurried back towards his classroom, shouldering his way cautiously through the millions of students that bumped into him as he held a tight grip on his mug of coffee, hopelessly trying not to douse any of the seemingly unaware bystanders with the hot liquid. He was just getting ready to close the door to his classroom, when his last student breezed past him to get into the room, his eyes roaming over all the familiar faces as he sort only her. Their eyes met instantaneously as he mapped out her lovely facial features, her eyes conveying a spark of shock, before her countenance fell into a mask of indifference as she moved her eyes away from him.

Quickly, he pulled his eyes away from her frigid form, continuing to smile at the rest of his class. He cleared his throat nervously, running an unceremonious hand through his hair as he made his way to the front of the class, sitting his cup down without a backwards look. The weight of his eyes found Aria again, but he tore his gaze away when she refused to look his away. An unexplainable sadness seized him as he cleansed his esophagus again, preparing for today's lesson as he went into teacher's mode. He got right into explaining the handouts that were residing in front of them. He said that the worksheets would help them prepare for the English section of their exams. He said what they are seeing is how the exams were going to basically look come test time. He told them how long the exam was going to be. How much time they were going to have to complete it. He described to them the scores that would be considered passing. That he wasn't going to lie, that it was going to be brutal, but he had faith in them. That all they had to do was study every chance they got. He told them that it was important for them to pass with flying colors. He said that from here on out, that most of the class period would be geared towards helping them pass the English exam, and that passing their exams would determine if they would pass his course or not.

He gave them their reading assignments, going around the room as he handed out new copies of The Scarlet Letter and To Kill a Mockingbird, saying he wanted book reports on both books by the end of next week. That today was just Thursday, so they had plenty enough time to get it done. Then he distributed out a list of upcoming projects and written papers they had to produce by the end of the school year, he passed out a worksheet on the proper etiquette on grammar and pronunciation, then he passed around a list of their new spelling words for this week and next week, he handed out five more worksheets, and then he walked around the back of his desk to write down their homework for tonight on the blackboard. He told them that they won't have a spelling test tomorrow, that he would just merge this test with next week's test, hearing as some of them groaned out loud, and then he told them to get started as he walked around the room observing, before going back to his escritoire as he perched on top the corner of his desk as he sipped his caffeine.

He examined Aria with his eyes once more, looking at her fully this time, his eyes hooded from the other students in the classroom. His face gave nothing away as he watched the young girl before him. Her pen was knocking against her glossy glittery lips as her terracotta eyes focused on the work in front of her. He knew she could feel his gaze on her, but she just ignored him, pretending as though he wasn't even in the room. He didn't like it, but there was nothing he could do about it. He didn't like not being noticed by her. He continued to stare at her, her dark luxurious long hair was swept away from her pale round face in a high cheer bun, a few tendrils fanning the back of her slender neck. His eyes moved towards her eyes, her lashes were longer and darker than ever. He wanted to graze them with his fingertips. She was breathtakingly beautiful. He swallowed thickly as his eyes ran down her immaculate neck.

His eyes moved from her face to her body, his breathing elevated as he skimmed her well-developed physique. She was dressed elegantly. She was wearing a black and white shoulder pad jacket with big ornate buttons, and a fitted white turtleneck that shaped her round breasts and outlined her nipples. She wasn't wearing a bra, or, at least he didn't think she was. She had on black tight leggings that molded her curvaceous hips and thighs, as well as arched her legs, and a pair of Dolce&Gabbana white crocheted lace rosette pumps graced her feet. She crossed her long legs as she chewed on the end of her pen, her finger scanning the paper, before she wrote something lengthy down. Her gold raindrop earrings catching the light as she reached a hand up to brush her hair and pat her bun, her hand falling away as she bit on her bottom lip, her eyes still glued down on her class work. He wanted her to look up at him. He never desired something so much. Just look up and meet my eyes, Ezra thought out loud in his head. Just let me see those captivating doe like eyes of yours. That's all I want. All I need, he spoke aloud in his mind again. His heart pumped with anticipation. His body going rigid as she stretched her limbs and moaned softly. His eyes even followed as she took her hair out from its ball and did it again. He tore his eyes away from her long enough to make sure no one was watching him, his eyes going back to her right after.

He looked down her body again, picturing her naked form as his cock strained happily against the front of his black slacks. His eyes burned with overflowing lust. His hunger grew more and more as both nights with her blazed into his membrane at that second. He didn't care if anyone saw him. He was a master at manipulating his expressions. He knew how to mask his outlook to what he wanted people to see.

At that instant, she chose that particular moment to look up into his eyes, chocolate eyes connecting with blue as they held each other gazes. He attempted a smile, but she didn't smile back at him. Her eyes were cold and dead. They held emptiness. They held nothing for him. They were uninterested. Not even her usual seductive smile played about her mouth. Gone was the flirtatious twinkle that took up residence in her eyes. She was looking through him, not seeing him at all as she removed her eyes from him. The smile was frozen on his lips as he shook his head, banishing what he just saw. She wasn't the same person anymore, knowing that he had something to do with that. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out. He couldn't believe that this was happening, but what did he expect? He got up from his spot and grabbed a pen and sticky notepad, writing down words hastily on the tiny piece of paper, then he walked around the room casually, and then he walked up to Aria's desk and placed the sticky note onto it, before moving away. He didn't want anyone to notice what he had just done, but that was highly unlikely, seeing that everyone was engrossed in their coursework.

The note said that he wanted her to remain after class. That he had to speak with her concerning personal matters. He went to go sit down behind his desk, picking up his coffee cup as he watched her inconspicuously over the rim as her eyes ran across the note. His heart sunk as she balled up the sticky note, and then she got up and threw it away into the trash, before walking back over to her seat, not even sparing him a glance.

The bell rung, officially ending first period. He drank the last of his cold coffee as his students got up and gathered up their belongings as they got ready for their second period class, filing out of the room in military formation. He saw that Aria was getting ready to walk out of the room too, but he stopped her, her books cradled snugly in her arms. Her face was full of anger and irritation. It took all of his effort not to flinch under her frosty glare. Never had she looked at him with such distain.

"I wanted to talk to you," Ezra started off tentatively as he closed the classroom door, giving them some much needed privacy before his next class.

When she didn't say anything, he kept on talking.

"I want to explain why I left," Ezra said, but he didn't get time to finish what he was going to say, because she cut him off immediately.

"Can we not do this?" Aria asked icily, her eyes going colder and colder by the minute as she shuffled her books around. "You don't owe me anything. Not even an explanation of your whereabouts".

"I think I do Aria," Ezra said as he stared deep into her eyes, questioning her. He picked his words carefully. "You need to know why I left".

"Actually, you don't," Aria said huffily as she bit on her bottom lip again, before staring back into his face. "I don't need to know why you left. Your reason doesn't pertain to me. Okay, I'm nothing to you".

"If you would just let me explain my reasons Aria," Ezra said, knowing that his plea fell on deaf ears. He couldn't stomach the hate he saw in her eyes. "Will you please let me tell you why?"

"I don't care why!" Aria yelled, not caring that she was practically screaming at him. "Don't you get it? It's too late. I just want to forget everything. I want to forget everything that happened between us. I just want to pretend like it never happened. I want to pretend that I never slept with you. As far as we both know, my virginity is still intact. It was a mistake. I know that now. I should have never pursued you".

He was quiet for a long time, before he finally spoke again.

"Do you really believe that?" Ezra asked somewhat thickly as he watched for the tall tale tell signs to play out on her face. "Do you really believe that it was a mistake? I get that you're angry. I get that you're hurt".

"Honestly, yes, I do" Aria said bitterly as she moved her books back to her other arm. "And, you're wrong. I'm not the least bit angry, or hurt. I should have made a better judgment call. Tell me Mr. Fitz, what was it about me that made you so quick to cheat on Jamiee?"

He didn't respond back to that, feeling his anger rising, but he pushed it back. He didn't take the bait. He knew what she was trying to do. He knew that she was seeking to hurt him by throwing his break up with Jamiee in his face. She wanted to hurt him, because he had hurt her.

"I'm sorry for hurting you Aria. I never wanted to," Ezra apologized, but he knew that she didn't care about his apologies.

"I have to get to my second period class," Aria said as she walked towards the door, shrugging off his apology as though she hadn't heard it. "I can't be late".

"Aria, wait," Ezra called after her as she was walking through the door.

She didn't say anything, or turn back around to face him. She just stood with her back facing him.

"There's a poetry club meeting this afternoon," Ezra said as he watched her leave without saying anything. He didn't even know if she had heard him.

Ezra wasn't expecting his second and third period classes to go by so fleetly, but he was grateful all the more as he made his way to the cafeteria for lunch. His thoughts were fixated on Aria. More importantly, her attitude towards him. The way she had been cold as a block of ice. He had read the anger and contempt that mirrored her eyes. How she had refused to look at him. The two times she had looked at him, she had looked through him, acting as though he didn't exist. The way she had ignored him throughout class. How she wouldn't let him explain. She hadn't been willing to hear it. She had just been so filled with anger and pain. She had tried to convince him that she wasn't upset, or hurt by what he had done, but he knew that she wasn't being totally honest with herself. He saw it in her eyes, had felt in the way she talked, and he had seen it in the way she had acted. Her whole demeanor shimmered with it.

He had to find a way to get through to her, but he couldn't if she was going to react the same way. She would only keep shutting him down. He would have to wait to approach her again, or risk the chance of infuriating her even more. He knew that it would take sometime, but somehow, he didn't mind the wait. The cafeteria was crowded as he walked in, heading straight for the lunch line, all the boisterous voices engulfing him on all sides. He got behind some freshmen students as they chatted it up with some cool seniors. Aria's words replayed inside of his head like a phonogram pertaining to their affair. When she had said she just wanted to forget. That she wanted to forget everything that happened between them. That she just wanted to pretend like nothing happened with him and her. Like it was just some fragment made up in their imagination. That them sleeping together twice was a mistaken judgment on her part. That it was wrong. That he didn't take her virginity that night in New York City. That it was still intact. She just wanted to erase that entire memory from her mind. She didn't want to think, or talk about it. She had even said that she should have never pursued him in the first place. But, he didn't want to forget it, or pretend like their liaison was never in existence. He couldn't. How could she so easily forget them? Maybe it was simple, she couldn't either.

He grabbed a tray as he went down the line, feeling like he was in high school again as he gazed upon the food in front of him. He reached for a plate of spaghetti, a chief salad with Italian dressing and a bowl of banana pudding, a thick slice of chocolate cake, and a glass of sweet Tea as he made his way to the cash register to pay for his food. He took out his wallet and paid for his food, but not before grabbing a fork, spoon and knife, a plastic straw, and a couple of napkins as he walked out of the lunch line to find himself a seat. He sat to a table with three other teachers. Mrs. Ruth Welsh a mathematics teacher, Charles Berkeley a science teacher, and Carol Laughton a music teacher. He was conversing with them about the upcoming school events, the end of school exams, and the annual banquet held for the faculty members, when something told him to look up. His stomach gave a gut wrenching twist at what he saw.

Aria was sitting comfortably in Adam's lap as she sat with her group of friends laughing and talking, her arms wrapped around his neck as she kissed him libidinously, before breaking her lips away from his as she redirected her attention back to her friends. He tuned out the other teachers as his eyes stay glued on Aria and Adam, feeling a pang of jealousy, anger, and hurt gripping him at the scene before him. It was like a bitter pill in his mouth, watching her with Adam Bailey. He didn't like that he had his hands all over her body as he felt a blinding rage seizing his insides. He didn't like the way he had his arms linked around her tiny waist, or the fact that he was kissing the back of her neck as his other hand rested on the small of her back. He didn't like how he was fingering her soft hair, his hand worming its way through the silky strands. He knew all too well how great it felt. To feel his hands running through her thick mass of glorious hair. He watched on as Aria smiled sexily at Adam as she glanced back at him, kissing him again, their mouths lingering together this time. It took all his strength to remain in his seat, his mouth twitching irritably. To control the green envy swirling around inside of him. He should be the one kissing her. Should be the one holding her in his lap. It should have been his arms she should have been feeling. Not Adam's. He felt a massive hatred for the boy rising up in his throat like bile. His teeth gritted together as Adam sucked on Aria's bottom lip, before coxing her into another intense smooch. She laughed against his mouth, before obliging his small request.

She pulled away after a few seconds, chastising him with words, before rubbing the tip of her nose with his. She gave him another peck on the lips, before talking back with Hanna, Spencer and Emily, and Jennifer as Adam leaned his head against her back, his arms tightening around her midriff. Ezra couldn't tear his eyes away from the cozy couple. Wait, were they dating? The fall in the pit of his stomach was indescribable. He didn't want to think that she was seeing him, but he couldn't disregard the truth staring back his face. Would she date Adam after being with him? Was she involved with him sexually? Was she sleeping with him? He hated thinking that the answer might be yes to both questions, but he didn't see the point of being in denial over it. She was in titled to date whoever she wanted. He guess he should not be too surprised at seeing her in a relationship with Adam. He was after all her first real crush. He just wish it had been some other guy instead. She had told him once before that she didn't want Adam, that she just wanted him. She had told him that she wasn't interested in Adam, but all that had been said before he had left.

He tried to look away, but he couldn't. It was like he was stuck in some kind of bad dream, wanting to wake up. Was she really over him? Did she ever think of him at all? He wanted to know. He had to know. Did she love Adam? Was their relationship real? Was it serious? He didn't want to know, but some part of him did know. There had always been something different when it came to Adam. Her feelings for him were genuine from the start. She looked happy, her face glowing with a natural light. A pain increased in chest, at seeing her look at him. At her touching him. He told himself to look away as she kissed him again. A sweet and honest kiss. He just about kneeled over from the drumming ache. He could never compete with something like that. He didn't like how Adam was looking back at her. It was a face of a guy in love. There had been a connection between them from the first time he had seen them together.

Suddenly, he wasn't so hungry anymore as he pushed the tray away from him without looking away. He had to stop staring at them, or he was going to give himself away. Aria looked up from Adam, feeling as though she felt someone staring at them as her eyes searched around the cafeteria. Her eyes locked with his, before she eventually looked away again. The pain that he was experiencing inside of his chest was getting worse. He didn't know what was wrong with him. He had to get out of there. He had to collect and gather his thoughts, hoping to get some insight on what he should do. Aria didn't look his away again as lunch ended, the bell rung as it sounded off for fourth period.

Ezra was jotting down the lessons for tomorrow on the blackboard, gearing up for his poetry meeting this afternoon. He really did enjoy having a free period. He loved the peace and the quiet. Having a free fourth period offered him the opportunity to grade papers, do lesson plans and write down the daily objectives for the next day, and to pick up after his students. He drank some of his Tea, before sitting down at his desk and graded papers, his red pen scratching against each paper as he marked them and left comments of either needs improvement, not enough detail, or good work. Then he made a list with the names of students he would offer torturing to and wrote down the dates on the big calendar on his desk, then next he went to go make copies in the office, then he headed down to the library to return the three audio cassettes had had borrowed for each of his three classes, and then rented out a DVD on what to do and not to do on school exams, before going back to his classroom. He had just got done with his research and was closing down his computer, when the bell rung to end school for day. He got up, and then he walked back to his chalkboard, making some space as he wrote down what they were going to be discussing in the club meeting today, and then he added his tutoring schedule on the far side coner as well.

He looked up as the poetry club members started pouring into the room, Aria and Adam being the last ones to enter the room. She didn't look towards him, her and Adam finding seats at the back of the classroom. He moved his eyes away from her. He didn't want to be caught gaping at her once again. He had glared at her for far too much in one day. It was wonder that no one had caught on to him yet. He suppose he had better start getting use to her not showering him with her attention anymore. He hated it, but it was her decision to make. He had to face the fact that she didn't want him anymore, pushing away the sense of loss he felt. Obviously, their illicit tryst was over with. He couldn't deny that his pride wasn't hurt. To know that Aria had so easily replaced him. It stung greatly, but he had to cope with it. He pulled himself together mentally fast. She was just one girl after all. A beautiful remarkable girl, but that was all she was. He wasn't the first older guy she had been with, and he was pretty certain that there would be a thousand more after him. Heaven help the man that fell in love with her.

Ezra explained to the members that he wanted them to do a fundraiser to earn enough money to go on another trip before school ended. He had them vote on what type of fundraiser they wanted to do and the majority of the club members decided on having a car wash out in the school parking lot. Aria then took notes and assigned people on who were going to be responsible for doing the posters and flyers, who was going to be in charge of taking the money at the booth, those that were going to be driving and cleaning out the cars, the people that were going to be working at the refreshment stand, and those that were going to be washing the cars. Then everyone went around the room naming the different cities that had lively poetry places. Everyone picked and agreed on New Orleans being their next destination. He had to admit he was very excited like the rest of the chattering group. As the club meeting came to a close, he told everyone to do their own individual research on places to stay, eat and shops to visit, tours to go on, and then the name of some poetry spots to venture to. He concluded the meeting, watching as some made their way out the door. He didn't miss the way Adam grabbed for Aria's hand, clasping it with his as they walked towards the door together. Nor did he miss her fugacious look towards him as she glanced back at him, before leaving out the room with Adam. He smiled sadly at her retreating back, before cramming his things into his shoulder bag with a lot of force, then he threw the bag over one shoulder, and then he left out the room as he headed to the teachers' parking lot.

He was getting into his car, when he looked across the open parking lot, seeing as Adam he opened the passenger side door for Aria to get into his car, before making his own way over to the driver side. He looked on as the car drove off, never looking away, his jealousy returning. A shocking truth entering his head. He wanted Aria. He wanted her, but not just in a physical way. He wanted something real with her. He knew that it sounded crazy. Hell, it felt nonsensical to his own ears. She was still so young on top of everything. She was already in a committed relationship with Adam. He wasn't for sure if she wanted him in that way again. Didn't know if she wanted a real relationship with him. He didn't even know if she was willing to leave Adam to be with him. God, he was just so confused about her, about his thoughts and feelings, and about everything else. But, was he willing to go for it? That pegs to be the question.

**I definitely liked this chapter better than the last one, and I hoped it showed. It came out just the way I planned it. I'm sorry for the wait, but I'm fairly busy with a lot of things. What did you think? Please review! I can't wait to hear you guys' thoughts. And, I'm working on Aria's POV right now, so I'll be able to have that up in a timely fashion.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

**Aria POV**

Aria went about her bedroom stuffing textbooks and notebooks into her bookbag as she got ready for another day of school, grabbing the books To Kill a Mockingbird and The Scarlet Letter off her desk. She was reading both novels at the same time. She was going to try to have both book reports' done this weekend. She didn't care if she had to do it at her second job. She couldn't believe that her car had broken down on her again. She blew out an angry breath. She just couldn't catch a break when it came to that car she had since ninth grade. She was currently catching Adam to school and both of her jobs, seeing as though Byron and Ella needed both of their cars. This was the ultimate reason why she had gotten a second job that was part time at the Blue Ivy Grill. She only worked every Friday night and the weekend's waitressing.

She needed just enough money to buy herself a brand new car. She couldn't afford to keep shelling out money for a car that had something extremely wrong with it. She was not even close to reaching her goal yet. She exhaled another breath of frustration as she tossed her graphing calculator, pens and pencils, 3 ring binders, ruler, her colorful highlighters, a bottle of correction fluid, her trustee pencil sharper, her stapler and stapler remover, a Merriam-Webster dictionary, and her Thesaurus into her backpack, desperately trying to make room for everything. She went to go shut down her computer, still undecided on what the layouts for the school yearbook should be as she grabbed her red flash dive. Everything was just bananas. She should have had that done weeks ago. So many things still had to be organized for the yearbook in general. She threw in her flash dive, before zipping up the bookbag that was sitting cozily on her queen size bed.

Aria was standing in front of her full length mirror, gazing at the reflection of a gorgeous pale complexioned girl staring back at her. The girl's big beautiful brown eyes had a smoky look to it with a hue of purple. Her onyx eyelashes were long and thick with the help of black mascara, well applied black eyeliner lining her eyes. Her luscious full lips were painted a dazzling champagne pink with an over coat of Like Venus mac dazzleglass. Her cheeks sported a coral tint, the blush doing wonders for her creamy skin. Big silver chandelier earrings occupied her front earlobes, small sterling studs filled her second holes, and a tongue ring with black balls resided in her top left ear. It was her newest piercing. Her sumptuous long dark hair was fixed in a Lauren Conrad Side Braid with the back pulled into a low messy bun. She was wearing a purple lace back short sleeve dress that framed her shape and hugged her hips, a pair of lace black leggings that showcased her thighs and legs, and a pair of Dolce&Gabbana beige stain and Chantilly lace pumps that gave her height an extra boost. Her wrist and two of her fingers were decorated in jewelry. She had on an elastic multi colored Rhinestone ladybug bracelet on her right wrist, a purple Rhinestone skullhead stretch ring on her left hand middle finger, and a hematite colored snake Rhinestone stretch ring on her right hand middle finger. She was thankful for yours sincerely online. Her fingernails were painted in a China Glaze Tinsel Town nail polish; her two index fingers were designed in hello kitty. Hanna had talked her into doing it.

She cut off her iPad 2, having watched movies on it last night. It needed charging, but she'll have to do it when she got off from work tonight. It wasn't like it was mandatory. She grabbed her backpack from off her bed, and then she left out of bedroom, hopping down the stairs merrily. She shrugged off her bookbag and placed it in front of the front door, before heading off into the kitchen to make herself some breakfast before Adam came to pick her up for school. She walked over towards the bread box, making it her first pit stop. She was going to make herself some apple jelly toast as she popped the two slices of sourdough bread into the toaster, then she reached up and grabbed a plate down from the cupboard, and then she headed over to the refrigerator, taking out the jar of apple jam and a bottle of vegetable juice. She snatched up a knife from out of the kitchen drawer, then she went over to take her toast from the toaster, and then she propped herself up onto a barstool at the kitchen counter. She fixed her toast the way she liked it, smearing apple jelly all over her two pieces of bread, before nibbling away. She took a long swallow from her juice, burping a little, before going back to munching on her toast.

She thought she heard a car horn, but she wasn't for sure it was Adam. He would have definitely called first. She knew him like the back of her hand. It was scary how well she knew him. She finished up her breakfast, and then she got up and walked over to the sink to wash her grungy plate. She couldn't help thinking about Adam, her lips curving up into a smile. She loved being his girlfriend. She liked being in a relationship with him. He made her happy. She had never been so jubilant about anything before, until being with him. He made her feel safe and sure about herself. She could be herself with him. She didn't have to pretend. She didn't have to work so hard. He wanted to be with her too. It wasn't a one sided relationship. They both wanted to be together. They were inseparable. They did everything together. They tried to spend as much time as possible with one another. Her whole world revolved around him now. Being with him felt right and good. It felt natural. It felt real to her. He felt real to her. It was so hard to explain and understand her feelings towards Adam. She had wanted him to be her first boyfriend from the moment she had first saw him. Had developed feelings for him.

Aria just knew that she loved being with him. That she loved being around him, and she knew that he loved being with her too. She felt it in the way he looked at her, in the way he talked to her, and in the way he touched her. His hands were always so steady and warm. She couldn't help smiling. Couldn't help being completely happy for the first time in her life. Everything felt like it should be. They had been together for a month now, and it had been the best decision she had ever made. It didn't feel too soon, or too sudden for her. Maybe it was because she had known him for all of her young life. It didn't feel like she was starting over again. It felt like she was filling in the pieces to a puzzle. Her other boyfriends' didn't compare to him. He was in a league all by himself. She could care less if others didn't approve of her decision to date him. She was happy, and that was all that mattered.

There was no right and wrong in this. It was only right. She took pleasure in kissing, and touching him. In being in his arms. It was so different from being with Mr. Fitz. She didn't fear that she was falling hard for him. She wasn't afraid of what came next. And it helped that Byron, Ella and Mike, and her friend s seemed to like him. Of course, she haven't slept with him yet, but it was only a matter of time before they had sex. She was looking forward to it. He wasn't rushing her, but she didn't want to wait a long time either. Life was too short as it was. You had to live in the moment. Had to live life to the very fullest. She wondered what it was going to be like to be with him. To have him inside of her. Was it going to be gratifying? She couldn't wait to find out. She knew that he had been with other girls, so he definitely had some experience.

Aria shook her head, peering out the kitchen window. She didn't see Adam's 2012 red Ford Mustang yet. They still had plenty enough time before they had to be to school. She loved that car. It brought back some good memories. Her breath heightened at the heavy kissing, and groping that had happened in the backseat of his car. She left out the kitchen, and then she headed back into the hallway, taking hold of her backpack and her designer handbag. Her mind strayed off to prom that was tomorrow night, which was a Saturday night. She was super excited, but she was also nervous. She had asked her boss at the Blue Ivy Grill if she could have the night off just for the occasion. Her, Spencer and Hanna, and Emily were going shopping for prom dresses after school today. They were going to be traveling into Philadelphia, so she knew that she and the girls could still find some beautiful dresses for tomorrow night's festivity. It was only a three hour drive.

She didn't have to be mindful about the color of her dress, because Adam was wearing a black tuxedo. She had invited him to her junior prom. She so badly wanted to win prom queen. She had campaigned like a manic, using her position as the editor of the school yearbook to sway some votes her way. It wasn't like she needed it, but she was going up against Hanna, and Jennifer. She knew that it was wrong playing dirty, but she was fairly confident that they were also offering voters something back in return for their support. Each girl knew that it wasn't a life, or death situation, but they each played to win. It was either win big, or go home. Neither of the girls' wanted to lose out on the crown.

She heard a car honking its horn, so she left out the house, locking it as she walked towards Adam's car, her pulchritudinous face shining brightly like a ray of sunshine as she spotted his face through the rolled down window. She opened the door and got in, reaching behind her seat to put her bookbag and handbag on the backseat, feeling as the race car launched into motion. She turned back around in her seat and secured her body in her seatbelt, and then she leaned over and kissed the corner of Adam's mouth, feeling his wide smile as he peered at her out of the corner of his eyes, before he focused back on the road. He took one hand off the steering wheel to take hers in his hand, holding it in his lap as he shifted gears. His fingers stroked the back of her knuckles thoughtlessly, stirring a low burning inside of her belly. She heard all the butterflies in her stomach murmur in ecstasy at his gentleness.

"You ready for tomorrow night?" Adam asked as he looked into the rearview mirror, before switching lanes.

"Yes, but I'm a nervous wreck," Aria said with openness as she leaned her head back against the headrest, glancing over at him.

"You shouldn't be. You got this," Adam told her with a confidence she didn't feel, bringing her hand up to his lips to press a kiss against the back of it, before letting it drop back down into his lap. She felt as the touch of his lips had scorched her skin, reveling in the sensation it sparked inside of her entity. "I mean was not to vote for. You have beauty, intelligence and grace, you're sweet, you have a unique sense of fashion, you have a strong sense of leadership, and you're fair. But, most importantly, you have a boyfriend that cares and supports you, and who is going to stick by you if you win, or if you lose. No matter what".

"Awe, thanks babe," Aria said, feeling touched by his words of encouragement as she leaned over again and kissed his lips this time, feeling as the car wavered a little as he kissed her back. Both of them pouring their emotions into the very innocent, but raw kiss.

She laughed before sitting back in her seat. She didn't want them to crash into something if they got too carried away in their excitement.

"You're welcome," He said as he looked over at her, smiling as he changed lanes again. "So, you have your speech prepared for when you win?

She shook her head no, laughing softly at his sure conviction of her winning prom queen.

"I haven't had time to dedicate myself to it yet, but I'll try to find some time to write something down today," Aria said as she stared ahead, gazing out the window at the cars in front of them, her mind in quiet thought.

"Do you know what you're going to say?" Adam asked as he glanced out his side mirror, before switching lances once more.

"Not remotely, "Aria said with a small laugh as she looked over at him again. "But, I'm sure something will come to me".

"Do you want any help?" Adam asked her, his hand squeezing her fingers. "I won't mind at all".

"Thanks, but no. I got it," Aria said with assurance, her free hand finding its way into his velvety hair as she ran her fingers through it.

"I love when you do that, "Adam said with a husky groan, relaxing against her tingling fingers.

"Oh, I can do a lot more," Aria said as she flashed him a devilish smile, her eyes glowing with a sinful wickedness as her nimble fingers massaged his scalp erotically.

"Don't tempt me," Adam warned in a deep grumble as he took his eyes off the road to look in her direction, his chartreuse colored eyes filling with profound lust.

"What if I want to?" Aria asked teasingly, her cinnamon colored eyes ablaze with sparkling light.

"Aria," Adam said warningly as he pulled into the school parking lot, his voice coarse and cracked with want.

She just laughed, feeling her panties go damp with her heavy flowing moisture. She squeezed her thighs together tight to quench the gnawing ache between them.

"You have to work at the Blue Ivy tonight right?" Adam asked hoarsely, the lust in his eyes subsiding as he searched for somewhere to park.

"Yeah, you?" Aria asked, her own eyes looking for a spot he could park his car in.

"Yes, but I'll be off in time to pick you up," Adam said as he maneuvered the car into an empty parking space. "I'm not supposed to tell you this, but a group of us guys are pitching in together to rent a limousine for tomorrow night".

"Really?" Aria asked with barely concealed excitement lighting up her eyes as she looked towards him, taking in his pleasing profile. She was absolute crazy about him. She still couldn't believe that she was dating him. He had been her first crush. The only guy she had been interested in at such a young impressionable age. But then, she came down from her high of giddiness, remembering that he was a known practical joker. Her face quickly loss all of its shine, looking serious as she eyed him with skepticism. "You better not be lying Adam".

He heard the forewarning in her voice, noticing her look of incredulity, his pretty green eyes gleaming with mischief as he turned off the car, giving her his full undivided attention. She punched his shoulder none too gently, not giving him a chance to answer.

"Ouch!" Adam cried out as he roared with laughter, rubbing his abused shoulder. "Honestly, I'm telling the truth".

She still didn't budge in her presumption as she unfastened her seatbelt, taking her backpack from off the backseat. He took his own satchel from the back, before opening up the car door and getting out, heading over to her side of the car as she opened up the door and got out.

"You seriously don't believe me?" Adam asked her with a hurtful expression, mockery filling his eyes as he clicked the alarm on his key chain. "You wound me deeply, but you can't say anything to the girls".

"My lips are sealed," Aria told him with slow pronunciation, making the words sound even sexier as she looked up into his chiseled face. She did believe him. "And, for the record, I do believe you".

"My kind of girl," Adam said as his head descended down towards her as he kissed her fully on the mouth, his soft tongue invading the inside of her crevice as she groaned throatily, feeling as shivers ran down her spine as her fingers curled into the front of his shirt. He deepened their kiss, and she complied with a rugged breath, her lips in time moving with his excitedly as her tongue flicked against his, drawing out a harsh gasp of air from him, before he pulled his mouth away from hers regrettably. "We got to stop, or we're going to be late for first period".

"I know," Aria said with a breathless moan as she looked searchingly into his eyes, giving him another deep felt kiss, before she begrudgingly tore her lips away, savoring the taste of him in her mouth.

He wrapped his arm around her slim waist, hugging her close to his side as her own arm found its way around his narrow middle, as they waved and talked to a group of their friends as they all walked into the school building together. They separated from their friends as they headed off down the hallway towards her locker. She moved away from him long enough to put her locker combination in, only keeping what she would need for her first and second period classes, before slamming the door to her locker shut, and then they walked to his locker as he got out what he needed for his morning classes. Her mind wandered off as he put things into his locker and took things out of it.

She still couldn't believe that Mr. Fitz was back. She still got pissed just thinking about it. About him. Did he really think that everything was okay between them? That it could just go back to the way it was? She was beyond furious with him. She was just so angry with the way he had went about leaving. It wasn't cool, or all right in the least. He could have left her a note of some kind, or tried to contact her. Was it really that hard to do? She didn't think so. It was small. A simple gesture. A right step in the right direction. Did he really think that she would welcome him back with open arms? Without questions? Was she just supposed to be fine with the tactful way he had took off? His feeble words and charming smiles couldn't melt the hate and anger she felt towards him. She admit, she was hurt with him just skipping town like that, but now, she was just indifferent. She didn't care anymore. He had made the decision to leave. Did he really think that she would continue to go after him? That she would want him? If he did, then he was wrong.

Anything she may have felt for him was long gone by now. In its place was an empty shell of a place and bitterness. She wasn't going to forget what he had done, or forgive him. There was nothing left to say, explain, or try to rationalize. She didn't want to hear it. She didn't want to hear any of his apologies. They meant zilch to her. All she wanted was to keep her distance from him. She didn't want to be near him any longer than she had to. She wanted him to stay away from her altogether, but she knew that wasn't hypothetical. He was her teacher. She didn't need anything from him. The only thing she needed was for him to be able to teach her. He had no right to ask for anything else. She wasn't his lover, or his girlfriend. She was just his student.

And god, he had still looked the same as she remembered. The same way he had looked before walking out on her. The last time she had saw him. She felt infuriated all over again. She just felt physically ill with the way he had stared at her. With the way he had watched her with the same gorgeous blue eyes, same thick dark hair that was a little longer, and the same generous mouth with the earth stopping smiles. He had still been the same beautiful man that she had ever seen, and she hated it. Like that moment in his classroom when he had requested that she stay behind, everything she had told him had been the absolute truth. She didn't regret saying anything. Every word had been real and forthcoming. She really did want to forget everything that happened between them. To pretend like it had all been imaginative. That it had been in her mind. That it had been her unconscious brain playing tricks on her.

She refused to think about those stolen nights with him. She didn't want to talk about it. It was nonexistent. It had never happened. She made herself forget. She had willed herself to forget every memory involving Mr. Fitz. If only it hadn't been a game from the beginning. If only she hadn't been trying so desperately to pursue him. She had been shameless in her hot pursuit of him. She shuddered at her craziness of antics. If only she hadn't wanted him so tigerishly. If only she had never found him to be so irresistible, and very attractive. If only he hadn't been someone older. If only she hadn't been attracted to older men in the first place. If only she had waited to give her virginity to a guy she could really be with. Someone she could call her own like Adam, but now wasn't the time for what if's, or regrets. She could only try to learn from her past mistakes. She had made her choices. She was a big girl. It didn't matter if it had been wrong, or not. Or that it had felt so right at the time. Conquering him and getting him into bed had been the only concerns that filled her mind.

She hadn't cared about how her words may have affected him. She hadn't been paying attention to that. She hadn't been paying attention to him to be perfectly honest. She hadn't been really seeing him. She had been ruled by her emotions.

Aria was immersed in her train of thoughts, the heavy veil only lifting when she felt the pressure of Adam's lips on hers, startling her awake. She beamed at him gingerly as she kissed him back vigorously, before they both parted ways with a promise of seeing each other later tonight. She walked a few doors down to get to her first period class. It was English with Mr. Fitz. He was the last person she wanted to see today, but she had to face him again eventually. If only she could figure out some kind of an elaborate plan to skip his class, feeling the bubbling fury boiling up inside of her. It was too early in the morning to be so ill tempered, but that was the way he made her. She schooled her emotions and facial expressions at the door, before she walked airily into the classroom. She didn't spare him a single look as she sashayed over to her seat, but she felt the weight of his penetrating gaze following her. It was like she was compelled to look at him. She hated herself for scanning him, and his attire, before quickly shifting her eyes in another direction. She didn't want to give him any wrong impressions. She was still angry at him.

It had been hard trying to depict what he had been thinking when he had looked at her for all of four seconds, before going back to writing on the blackboard. His eyes had been guarded, and he hadn't smiled. He probably thought it was useless, because it was. His hair was freshly cut as she watched as the lights bounced off the dark strands. He had on a white collared shirt with the sleeves rolled up at the elbows, black slacks that hung off his lean waist, and charcoal black loafers encased his feet. He stretched, running a neglectful hand through his hair, and then he went back to scrawling on the board. He erased what he just put down, as though he thought it had an error of some kind, and then he wrote something new in its place, his eyes scouring the words critically.

She got right to work on the practice worksheets for the English part of the exams Mr. Fitz had stored on the their desk, biting on her bottom lip as she studied the paperwork crucially. It didn't take much brain power for her to get the hang of it, flying through three out of the five worksheets without needing Mr. Fitz's help. She was working through her last worksheet, when Mr. Fitz said he wanted them to pass up their homework from last night. She had barely gotten it done with the distraction that came in the form of Adam. Then he gave them some time to work on their reading and book reports. She decided to read The Scarlet Letter, finding that novel to be the more intriguing, and the more scandalous. She remembered seeing the movie with the amazingly beautiful Demi Moore, and the very brilliant Gray Oldman. She grinned at their forbidden love story. A tale of star crossed lovers as she got out her notebook and ink pen, her eyes absorbing the pages greedily.

She felt Mr. Fitz watching her again, but she rudely ignored him, wishing that he would stop staring at her. That he would stop burning a whole into her countenance. Didn't he care about the other students seeing him? She opted not to waste anymore of her thoughts on him, reading a couple more pages, before pushing the book aside, and then she wrote down her perception of the novel in her notebook as she began her first book report. The words flowed like conjured water as her hand moved fastidiously across the paper in her fine handwriting as she executed the important points of the book, then she put her pen down as she took out To Kill a Mockingbird, and then she started to read it, getting lost in the numerous pages that were filled with racism and injustice. She didn't know how much time had gone by, when she had set the book down on her desk, beginning her second book report as she gripped the quill harshly as her throat contracted from the tough words she had read. Her hand moved furiously against the paper as her reflection poured forth, grasping the main facts.

Aria picked up the two books and put them back into her bookbag, making a mental note to type up what she had written during her fourth period. Then she looked to the front of the class to see what Mr. Fitz had written down on the blackboard for homework tonight, sighing with relief. He had only assigned them to read certain pages from out of their textbook, and to complete the questionnaire at the bottom of each page. She didn't mind. It was better than completing oodles of worksheets, and writing essays. Her eyes were continuing to roam over the chalkboard to see what took place in his other classes, when her eyes involuntarily clashed with his. His eyes didn't break away from hers, but chose to face her head on as the air decrepitated with unspoken tension. Why wouldn't he look away? Or was he waiting for her to do so? He had no right to look at her. To drank in her body. His face was a mixture of sadness and loneliness, but she didn't care. She tore her eyes away from his face, choosing to study her spelling words for the upcoming test next week until the bell that ended first period sounded off.

She gathered up her things, cramming them inside of her bag, and then she made her way to the door along with everyone else, but Mr. Fitz stopped her. She was seething just below the surface at having been made to stay after class for a second time. What was his problem? Didn't he know that the last thing she wanted to do was talk to him? That she didn't want to be around him? Or that she didn't want to be alone with him? She didn't even try to mask her anger, letting it fly full force as she looked pointedly into his face as he approached her, before closing the door to the classroom. It was like he was determined to seek her out every chance he got. He had to stop doing this. Some teachers were bound to start asking questions. Why was he being so careless all of a sudden? He loved teaching more than anything, so why was he jeopardizing his position? Was he trying to prove a point to her? To himself? Was he really willing to risk his teaching career one more time? If so, what for? Was it for her own benefit? She didn't want that, or him. Did he truly believe that he could win her over this way? If so, then he was foolishly misconceived.

"Why can't you just leave me alone? "Aria asked with additional coldness entering her voice as she eyed him frostily.

She saw as his own anger flared up, his jaws clenched together tightly as his mouth was set in a thin line. She could tell that he was frustrated, but he had no right to be annoyed with her. She wasn't the one that had taken off. That honor was reserved for him.

"I won't just leave you alone Aria. I'm your teacher," Mr. Fitz said with slight aggravation hinted in his voice as his cerulean colored eyes darkened with hurt and displeasure. He let out a short breath as he looked away from her for a minute, running a frustrating hand through his hair as he collected his thoughts. When he looked back into her face, his voice was much softer. A whole lot quieter. Thick and unsure of himself. Unsure of what he was doing. For the first time ever, he was showing her a glimpse of weakness. It was really disconcerting for her, because she had always seen him to be strong and self-contained. "I really want to talk to you, but you won't let me. Just let me in. I promise I won't take up much of your time".

She shook her head unbelievably, biting on her bottom lip. He had no right to pulled this. He couldn't just make demands. She wouldn't let him. He couldn't suck her in. She was in no position to be easily fooled again. Like the saying went. Fool me once, shame on you, but fool me twice, shame on me. She was going to stand her ground. She wasn't going to even allow herself to care. He had to realize that she had moved on. She wasn't into him anymore. Maybe if things were different, but they weren't. She had made a commitment. A commitment to be with Adam. He was the only guy that she cared about and craved for. She was happy and she wasn't going to let Mr. Fitz destroy that happiness.

"Really, well, maybe you should have thought about that before fucking me," Aria said nastily, before storming out of the room as she slammed the door shut behind her.

She didn't care what else he had to say. She had never been so bitchy. It seem like he was the only person who could bring out that side out of her. He could really push her buttons. She detested being so mad everytime she saw him, but she couldn't seem to let go of the anger she held towards him. It was like it was buried deep inside of her core, with no way of being released.

Aria made it to her second period Physics class without being late, sitting to her usual lab table with Jennifer. She was still fuming over her blow out with Mr. Fitz. She got even heated at the nerve of him demanding that she remain after class. She shook her head as she chewed on her bottom soft lip, wanting to forget him altogether. She concentrated on Mr. Ellis as he went over the daily objectives, walking around the room as he passed out worksheets on the understanding of electricity, the basics of physical science and the different types of transition metals, identifying the elements of the periodic table, and the difference between solids, liquids, and gases. Mr. Ellis said that they could work with a partner, so her and Jennifer worked together completing the many worksheets. Two heads were certainly better than one. Each individual paper was challenging, but they pulled it off. They still had three more pages to go, when Mr. Ellis called for their attention. He wanted them to copy down the new list of physical science definition terms. He said that he wanted them to be sure to have the accurate definition, and that this would be their homework for tonight.

The rest of the class hour was spent finishing up their handouts. Mr. Ellis announced to the class that they were going to Riverdale's science fair next week to get some ideas for their own science projects'. She and Jennifer were done in record time, handing in all of their worksheets, before heading back to their table. They were also picked to do a written paper on Sir Isaac Newton, stating all the major facts about his life as their other classmates were assigned other important people.

She was happy when second period ended, scheduling a day to meet up with Jennifer in the school library to work on their written paper. She gave her a hug before leaving out the room and going to her third period class. But first, she stopped at her locker on the way, switching up her textbooks as she juggled the items in her arms for more stability. She didn't have U.S. History with Mrs. Williams, but she did have Algebra with Mrs. Welsh. She wasn't looking forward to having her head burst from having to solve math equations as she shoved her thick history book to the back of her locker, before closing it up. Third period was over in a flash as she prepared to pack up her belongings, making sure she had the homework for the night as she left out the classroom, and then she made another trip back to her locker. She was becoming fatigue from carrying around all of her heavy books. And not to mention, her lower back was throbbing something terribly. Where was Adam when she needed him? Then she remembered that he was working on his senior project.

Aria headed for the cafeteria for lunch, meeting up with Spencer, Hanna, and Emily as they got into the lengthy lunch line. Her mind unwillingly drifted off to Mr. Fitz, recalling how he had watched her and Adam in this very commissary yesterday. She hadn't known how long he had stared at her and Adam. She just knew that she had caught him. His gaze had been intense, impenetrable, and unblinking. His physiognomy had been cryptic. She hadn't known what he had been thinking. Hadn't been able to read his emotions in the short time her eyes had bored into his. Like always his eyes had been guarded, shielding her from deciphering his feelings. She didn't know if he felt fury, hurt, or jealousy. Or if he felt anything at all. He had no right to feel anything. She still wanted to know what kind of thoughts had been running through his mind at that moment. To see her with Adam, that she was in his arms, and to see that she was kissing him with every fiber of passion. To see that she was kissing someone other than him. She didn't know why she cared. She didn't care one way or the other. She was pulled out of her reverie by the banging of pots and pans, clanging of silverware, and the smell of nectarous food in the air.

She took a tray and proceeded down the lunch line with Hanna in front of her, and Emily behind her. Spencer was at the front of the pack. She looked to seeing what they were having on the menu for today; she grabbed a taco salad with Tostitos chips, a bowl of chili and a cup of sour cream, packets of saltine crackers, a cherry Bakewell tart, a dish of chocolate frozen yogurt, and a glass of raspberry lemonade, and then she headed down towards the cash register to buy for her lunch. She took a hand full of napkins, some silverware, and a plastic straw, before leaving out the lunch line with Spencer, Emily, and Hanna as they made their way to their accustomed table, with her and Hanna sitting down on one side of the table, and Spencer and Emily vacating on the other side. She glanced around the cafeteria, releasing an abated breath. She didn't see Mr. Fitz anywhere in sight. She was so glad that she didn't have to deal with him for another round. She waved to Mackenzie and Nicolette as they passed her table on the way to theirs. They were on the yearbook staff with her.

"Are you guys still up for shopping for prom dresses after school?" Spencer asked the circle of friends as she dipped her corndog into her ketchup, before biting it. "My mom let me burrow her car for us to use".

"Of course," Hanna said as though she wouldn't dream of passing up a chance to shop for a special occasion as she took a sip of her strawberry soda. "I took off from the dentist office for this. I have to find the perfect dress. Especially if I win prom queen".

Aria didn't take offense; she knew that Hanna didn't mean it in a conceited way. She was just being normal typical Hanna.

"I'm still going too Spence," Aria said as she ate her taco salad, crunching as she munched on the green lettuce as her fingers toyed with her plastic straw, twirling it around in her glass.

"What about you Em? Did you get off from work to go to the prom tomorrow night?" Spencer asked as she picked up a French fry, and then she popped it into her mouth.

"No. It's essential that I be at the sport shop this afternoon," Emily said sourly as she stabbed her slice of pepperoni pizza savagely with her fork, before throwing it down onto her tray. "And, I still have to work tomorrow night. My boss says every worker must be accounted for".

"I'm sorry Em," Aria said sympathetically as she as she reached over the table to pat her hand.

"I'm sorry too Em," Hanna said as leaned across the table to give her friend a hug. "I really think it stinks that your douche bag of a boss couldn't let you off for the most memorable night of our lives".

"I'm sorry Emily," Spencer said, expressing remorse that her friend couldn't join them tomorrow night as she squeezed her shoulder. "I don't have to go. I could hang out with you at the store to keep you company".

Aria and Hanna looked at each other, wordless communication passing between them. They really didn't want to miss their first junior prom. They knew that they were being a little selfish, but they both wanted to know if they might win prom queen. They shared another look, before looking back at a downcast Emily as she stared transfixed into her glass of sparkling water as it rippled.

"That's right, we don't have to go either Em," Aria said, speaking for herself and Hanna as she spooned some frozen yogurt into her mouth. Hanna nodded her head in agreement, knowing that it was the right thing to do. "I'm sure there's plenty for us to do at the sport shop to keep our minds off the prom".

"Absolutely not. I don't want you guys sacrificing an important night for me," Emily said sharply as she looked into all three of her friends eyes, loving that they would do that for her, but she couldn't be self-involved. She just couldn't do that to her friends. Aria, you and Hanna are running for prom queen. You have to know if you win or not. Spencer, you organized the junior prom. You have to see how things turn out. I'll be fine you guys, really".

"Only if you're sure," Aria said as stuffed some Tostitos chips into her mouth, feeling happy, but not being callous enough to let it show on her face as Hanna touched her thigh.

"I'm sure," Emily assured them as she took a bite of her pizza. "I'll feel lousy knowing that I made you guys' miss junior prom. Do you guys know what color you want your dress to be?"

"I don't know. I haven't decided yet," Aria said in thought as she ate the last of her chocolate yogurt. "Maybe black, or purple".

"I think pink, or blue would be my signature choices," Hanna said, before tearing into her cheeseburger. "Then again, I might just go with pink".

"I was thinking I might go with red, or either green" Spencer said as took a swallow of her fruit punch, before taking another bite out of her corndog.

"What is the theme anyway Spencer," Aria asked as she drank some of her raspberry lemonade, and then she shoved a fork full of salad into her estuary. "I've been meaning to ask you that".

"Yeah, what is the theme Spence?" Hanna asked as she looked at Spencer, breaking a piece of cheeseburger off, and then she put it into her mouth.

"The theme is under the sea," Spencer told them as she finished off her French fries, before moving on to eat her bread pudding. "It was going to be the eighties, but some of the committee members' disagreed".

"I think I should go with blue then," Hanna said as she ate some of her angel food cake. "I could channel my inner Ariel".

"Are you going to dye your hair red to Hanna?" Aria asked jokingly as her, Spencer, and Emily laughed at her.

"You know what, that's not a bad idea," Hanna said laughing along with them, spitting some of her strawberry soda out as laughter over took her.

"Are you nervous about winning prom queen Aria?" Emily asked, just before taking another nip out of her pizza. "What about you Hanna?"

"I'll be lying if I said I wasn't nervous," Aria said with a nervous laugh as she opened up one of her packets of crackers, breaking one half off, and then she dipped it into her bowl of chili. "Me, Hanna, and Jennifer are on even ground. Either one of us could win".

"I'm with Aria. I'm totally apprehensive about winning. I mean the competition is intense," Hanna said as she picked at the remainder of her cake with her fork, her blue eyes fixed across the room where people were continuing to vote for the title of prom queen and king at the rectangle shaped table they had set up. "So many students and so many votes. Are you taking part in counting up the votes Spence?"

"Yeah, me and the committee are tallying up all the votes during our fourth period, but I can't tell you, or Aria who won. You have to wait until tomorrow night," Spencer said with strict secrecy, not one to break the rules, unless it was unjustified.

"You can't just give us one little hint? "Hanna begged with extra sweetness as she batted her artificial eyelashes.

Hanna, no. You heard what she said. We will find out with everyone else tomorrow night, "Aria told her, relating with her frustration at being kept in the dark with no knowledge if she won, or if she lost.

"Okay, okay. I won't ask again, Hanna said with theatrics as she pushed around the food on her tray. "I really hope it just comes down to you and me, Aria".

"I hope so as well Han," Aria said as she thrusted her bowl of chili away from her, starting to get full as her own eyes looked towards the voters table. Maybe she should do some last minute campaigning, she thought in her head. "How are things with you and Wren, Spencer?"

"Great. He's taking me to his family's lake house next weekend," Spencer informed them happily as she drank more of her beverage. "What about you and Adam, Aria? You guys are getting pretty serious".

"I'm happy. Our relationship is fresh and exciting," Aria said, not able to keep the smile out of her voice.

"Someone is in love," Hanna cooed teasingly as she knocked against her body playfully.

Aria just shook her head smiling.

You're the one to talk Han. What about you and Caleb?" Aria asked, putting her on the spot with a slick smile.

"Yeah, Han, how is your relationship with Caleb going?" Spencer inquired, generally wanting to know too after she had given her such a hard time in the beginning.

"It couldn't be better," Han said with a smile as she crumpled up her napkin and threw it down onto her tray of half eaten food. "We're learning new things about each other every day. His is so wonderful you guys. I've never felt more confident in a relationship. I don't have to feel insecure about myself".

"How is the search going to find his birth mother?" Emily asked, expressing her jubilation for Hanna.

"He found her," Hanna said, her eyes shone with glee, and her voice was full of gusto. "After years of looking, it finally paid off".

"Thanks amazing Hanna," All three girls said in unison.

"Has he contacted her yet?" Spencer asked as she waved to three committee members.

"He called her for the first time last night," Hanna said as she nodded her head.

"How did the conversation go?" Emily asked, her eyes glued to her.

"Apparently, their talk went rather well," Hanna answered as she sipped her soda.

"Has she agreed to meet with him?" Aria asked, seeing that Hanna was overwhelmed with her friends over zealous questioning, but they were just so happy for her and Caleb.

"She has. She's flying from California to Rosewood to meet with him face to face," Hanna told them, her finger curling around a lock of her dirty blonde hair. "She's remarried with a new husband, and Caleb has two small little brothers".

"Is Caleb nervous about meeting her? Does he remember her at all?" Spencer fired more questions at her. "I'll be jittery and everything".

"He says that he's not, but I can tell that he is. I mean he just wants answers from her," Hanna said with keen understanding of her boyfriend. "He wants to know why she left him behind. Why she never came back for him. And he says that he doesn't remember her all that well, but he can still remember what type of perfume she used to wear. Enough about this. Can we please talk about something else other than Caleb's personal life?"

"Sure Han," Aria said as she gave her a short smile, knowing that she was feeling exposed for revealing far too much of Caleb's private life. "Do you guys know what you're going to do for your junior project?"

"Don't even ask," Hanna said with a dismissive hand, her face fringing boredom. "I really try hard not to think about it. I already have enough on my plate to add that to my list of worries".

"I'm still trying to decide on a topic that I'm interested in," Spencer said as she ran a quick hand through her dark chestnut shoulder length hair. "And you have to worry about it Han. It's a big part of our grade".

"I was going to do mines based around swimming," Emily said, not feeling intimidated about it being a very important part of their grade. She was used to challenging herself. "What are you doing Aria?"

"I want to do my project on English," Aria said with a clear picture in her head. "I mean I'm already familiar with it, and I want to be an English teacher, so why not do something on what engulfs me. On what represents my true passion for living".

"I truly hate how all my teachers keep drilling into my noggin about the great importance of passing my end of school exams," Hanna said with an aggravated breath as she switched their conversation. "As if I wasn't already failing Algebra and U.S. History".

"I could tutor you in Algebra Han," Spencer offered. "I mean math is my strongest strength. I think the only exam I'm worried about tanking is Chemistry. The class is major hard".

"That would really help me out. Thanks Spence," Hanna said as she gave her a smile of gratitude.

"And I don't mind helping you with U.S. History," Aria proffered, desiring to help out her friend.

"Thanks, Aria," Hanna said as she issued her, her best trademark smile. "I really do need all the help I can get".

"I think I really need to take advantage of all the things the principal and the teachers are offering us to ace our exams," Emily said realistically as she tore open her bag of Doritos cool ranch, passing the bag around the table. "I'm going to study hall my next period".

"Are you anxious about the end of school exams Aria?" Spencer asked as she handed the bag of chips back to Emily.

"Not now, but I was a little shaky about the English part of the exam. Mr. Fitz has us doing practice worksheets to help us to better prepare," Aria told them as she took the Doritos from Hanna.

"Speaking of Mr. Fitz, I can't believe that he's back," Spencer said, sounding thrilled.

"Thank god. I loathed that crabby old substitute," Hanna said as she shuddered. "She was a tyrant. Mr. Fitz is back and he looks hot as ever".

"Spencer, didn't you tell us that Melissa said him and his girlfriend Jamiee broke up?" Emily asked her, drinking her water in small amounts.

She didn't join in their discussion as she tuned them out easily. She felt uncomfortable. She didn't want to talk about Mr. Fitz,or his break up with Jamiee that she had something to do with.

"I wonder if he would ever consider dating one of his students," Hanna said tantalizingly, winking as she thought out loud. "I mean imagine having one hot sweaty affair with your English teacher that is sexy as Mr. Fitz. I wonder if he's huge".

"Hanna!" Spencer and Emily shrieked with laughter at their friend's kinkiness.

"What?" Hanna asked them with unashamed giggles. "There's nothing wrong with being curious. I bet you guys what to know as well. Hell, every girl in our English class wants to know. I wish I was bold enough to find out for myself".

"He is big," Aria said to herself quietly, not realizing that she had spoken so that her friends could hear it. She witness the shock and confused look on their faces, before she recovered her stupid little slip of the tongue. "You could certainly tell if you look closely enough".

She let out a shallow breath of relief, her friends taking her word for it. She couldn't believe that she had been so moronic with her dumb slip up. She hated herself for thinking about his male parts. She was through with him. She had to be a lot more heedful with what she let tumble out of her mouth next time. Next time she wouldn't be so lucky.

Aria walked into her fourth period class, the room was buzzing with energy as everyone was scattered about the classroom working austerely on the different parts of the yearbook. She felt like a proud momma bear watching her cubs. She set her things down, and then she got hands deep into the action, loving the positive environment surrounding her. She got on one of the computers, looking through different layouts for the yearbook, finding the design and color she was going to use for the front and backcover. She searched numerous websites, testing out the different types of set up arrangements and color schemes. She finally chose what set up she was going to go with, and the colors that stood out to her, then she saved everything on her flash dive, and then she made some pattern corrections, before tucking the device safely away into her bookbag.

She then made some digital alterations to the pictures that were going to make it into the yearbook, tossing out the ones that weren't going to make the cut. Then she, Nicolette, and Mackenzie went over the list that had every student in the school to check to see if their names were spelled correctly, while three others handled the list with the teachers', and then she worked on the senior section, taking her time as she dedicated to each individual page. She was swamped at seeing how much they still had to do. They still had to do the sports section, the student and faculty bit, had to finish up the senior pages, do subjects and table of contents, the welcoming part, the information on the school principal, teacher of the year and graduation section, events, clubs, and the ads section that was at the back of every yearbook.

When the group left to do other duties pertaining to the yearbook, she stayed put, making short work of the table of contents, and then she put the finishing touches on the welcoming page. When she was so sick to death of working on the yearbook, she did some much needed research on New Orleans. She was so excited about venturing there. She found a really awesome website. It had some great facts to know about New Orleans. She read some of its rich history, before getting up and grabbing a pen and a sheet of paper. The web link had everything a traveler would want to know. There were so many parts of New Orleans you could visit. Places to spend the night like inns and remodeled plantations. Shops to explore, bars and jazz clubs to visit, and tour sights to see.

She eagerly wrote down the names of places to stay, places of where you could eat and shops one could visit, tours to go on, and poetry spots to drop in at. She went back and looked at some of the inns and old plantations again. Her mouth opened in amazement. They were well built, extraordinary, and full of history. She preferred to stay on a plantation. It would be like an adventure. She had read so many historical romance novels that took place on either a plantation, vineyard, homestead, or a ranch. She could just visualize the big winding staircase, wide glass windows, and the ancient candleholders. She folded the paper in half without putting her name on it. She was going to put it into Mr. Fitz's mailbox after school. It wouldn't take her that long to stop by the office and then go meet up with the girls in the school parking lot. She was going to text Spencer to let her know. She didn't want them to leave without her.

Aria headed to the parking lot after the bell rung, meeting up with Spencer and Hanna at Spencer's car. She got into the front, and Hanna got into the back. Spencer drove out of the school parking lot, getting onto the busy interstate. The drive into the city was a speedy one as the girls were all preoccupied in their own thoughts. Spencer parallel parked in front of Dominique's Boutique, and then they got out, walking into the affluent clothing shop. The store was just as impressive inside as it was outside. The establishment was a bit on the pricey side, but she wasn't too concern about breaking the bank. She knew how to shop well within her price range. She broke off from the girls as they did the same, each girl going in her own direction. She couldn't keep her eyes from drinking in the big spacious store as she strolled around, her mouth falling open. She had to close it. The structure as well as the setup of the boutique was beautifully done. She gave a silent kudos to the gifted architects as she moved to stand between two sell racks. At that moment she didn't care about anything, but finding the precise prom dress.

Her big brown eyes took in every elegant gown slowly, and carefully, making out every detail and the designer. Every dress was stitched to perfection. She couldn't quite believe how much work went into each dress. Her hands glided across each formal dress, feeling as the material ruffled against the palm of her hands. It was almost orgasmic at how she caressed the fine texture of each dress. Two hours went by with her finding her dress. She picked up the clothing rack, inspecting the gown more thoroughly as she bit her bottom lip. She handled it with care, fearing that she would mess it up somehow. This was just what she wanted. It was a perfect dream. It oozed homecoming queen. She pictured the tiara on her head. This was the prom dress she was going to win in. She could scarcely contain the bubbling excitement that swelled up inside of her throat at her certainty. She couldn't help the cockiness that over took her. She was going to look sexy as hell. She didn't see anything wrong with using her sexuality. It would definitely help with some unsure voters. They could look all they wanted, but they couldn't touch her. That right only applied to Adam. She smiled wickedly, her eyes gleaming.

It was a strapless black knee length cocktail dress by Jasz Couture. Shimmering beaded accents stud every last inch of the top to lend its spectacular allure. It had a sweetheart neckline to show off her ample breasts, a fitted bodice, and a short skirt with feather detailing. In other words, it was expensive, but she wanted it regardless. The dress was befitting for a princess. She left the evening gown area, and then she headed towards the shoe section, needing the right kind of footwear to pull off the dress she had chosen. They had so many varieties of shoes. She had a hard time deciding, but in the end she grabbed a pair of overpriced black Demi platform sandals by Alisha Hill, and then she wandered into the accessories domain. It was all alphabetize. She had never seen anything like it. She felt like she had meandered into sacred ground. She wanted to locate the proper purse to coordinate with her ensemble. She picked the costly silver Bijoux Pleated bag by Sondra Roberts, and then she traipsed over to the checkout counter to pay for all her merchandise, waiting on the sidelines with her arms full as Spencer and Hanna followed suit.

It was just turning dark when they rolled back into Rosewood, and it was time for her to go to work. She told Spencer to take all of her shopping bags to her house, and that she would have Adam drive her over there to retrieve them when she got off from work, before she ran towards the entrance of the Blue Ivy Grill. As soon as she opened the door and went inside, she heard the voices of all the clientele, and the loud music from the live band that filled her eardrums as she walked towards the back. The place was jumping with electricity. It wasn't overflowing with customers yet, but she knew that wouldn't be for too long. The Blue Ivy always stayed active. She shook her head with distaste at the thought of dealing with another round of drunken patrons as she pushed open the door that read employee's only. She got changed swiftly, pulling on her required attire. She loved the blue tight fitted T-shirt, and the little black booty shorts that cupped her ass just right. She took the back of her hair from out of its messy bun, gathering the mellifluous locks into a tight ponytail at the nape of her neck, before leaving out of the staff room and getting to work. Her hands struggled to tie the half apron around her waist. It was going to be a long night.

The grill was in full swing by the time she cleared her fourth booth. She delivered pitchers of beer to two of the tables in her area, then she took down more orders, and then she balanced three plates of hot food as she took them to their appropriate table. She cleaned more tables and booths as more customers walked in, occasionally, glancing over to the jam packed dance floor. She bopped to the music as she balanced a tray full of drinks, smiling to the customers in her area, hoping to get great tips. She brushed off an older guy grabbing her ass as she set his plate of food in front of him, shooting him a dirty look that spoke volumes, warning him that he had better not try that again, or she wouldn't hesitate to call for management. She wasn't some damsel in need. She could more than take care of herself, but she didn't want to lose this job for slapping one of its consumer's. She needed the money terribly. She was sweating like a lunatic as she waited on more tables, her feet killing her at the thoughtlessness of forgetting to keep a pair of changing shoes inside of her employee's locker. Her shoulder started to ache as she piled another tray onto her shoulder blade, taking six people sitting at the bar their basket of hot wings, nachos and cheesy fires, fried pickles, nuts, and onion rings. She was getting a cramp in her neck as more buyers floated in. The place was getting more crowded. It was only five of them waitressing; herself, Izzy and Ciara, Megan, and Tatiyana. They were one girl down.

She was only gone to the bathroom for ten minutes, when she came back and found Mr. Fitz sitting to a booth in her area looking over one of their menus. She couldn't believe it. She just couldn't get away from him. Was he stalking her? How did he know that she was working here? Did somebody tell him? She felt her long gone deep rooted anger swimming back towards the surface. She thought about not serving him, but she knew that she couldn't do that. She had to act professionally. Why did he have to sit in her section? Did fate hate her? Was he deliberately trying to get a rise out of her? Did he enjoy her being furious with him? She contemplated her options as she sucked atrociously on her bottom lip, having a decision to make as she tasted the blood filling her mouth. There was nothing she could do. He had won. She knew that she couldn't pawn him off on her other colleagues. They would expect an explanation. It made no difference if they didn't go to her school, but they did go to Hollis College. She chased away her resentment, fixing a farce smile upon her face as she headed towards his table. His gaze met hers as she stepped up to his booth, shock written on his personable face, before he smiled. Once his smile would have affected her, but that felt like so long ago. His eyes took her in, before he returned them back to her features.

"What can I get you?" Aria asked in a nippy tone as she took out her notepad and pencil from her apron pocket, posing her hand to write his order down.

She didn't care how deceiving her face was.

"What do you love here?" Mr. Fitz asked instead as he put down his menu, his eyes looking undecided. "It's my first night eating here".

She pondered lying to him, but she thought better of it.

"I like the triple bacon cheeseburger with cheesy fries," Aria answered mechanically, wishing that he would stop staring at her in that way.

"I'll have that then," Mr. Fitz said, his mouth twitching upwards into another smile. "It even sounds good".

She wrote his request down in a rush, wanting to get away from him.

"What would you like to drink?" Aria asked him as she waved a couple over to take the booth in front of his.

"A pitcher of beer would work," Mr. Fitz said as he handed her his menu, his fingertips touching hers.

She added his drink to his ticket.

"Would you like an appetizer while you wait on your food?" Aria asked as she directed a party of five to a table in her section.

"Let me get an order of hot wings with blue cheese sauce," Mr. Fitz said as he flipped through the hors d'oeuvres menu that was centered in the middle of the table.

"Would you like anything else?" Aria asked him in the same boring monotone as she scribbled it in her notepad, preparing to leave.

"No. That's all for now," Mr. Fitz told her as he stared deeply into her eyes, challenging her.

He was saying without words that she wouldn't be able to just erase what they had done. That she would think of it each time she saw him.

She nodded her head, and then she left his booth to go to the bar. She tore out his order ticket, then she gave it to the bartender, and then she stuck around the bar as she waited for his appetizer to get done. She loaded the pitcher of beer and hot wings onto her tray, and then she went to go take it over to Mr. Fitz's table, sensing that he had been watching her the whole time.

"Thanks," Mr. Fitz thanked her, trying to catch her eyes as she unloaded the tray.

She avoided his gaze, concentrating on not spilling anything.

"You're welcome," Aria said tersely, before leaving his table.

Aria stayed away from his booth until his food got ready, looking on as uncountable women approached his table. She sneered as he shot them down one after the other, seeming uninterested in their seduction attempts. She didn't know why he didn't give them a chance. It wasn't like he was dating anyone, or was he? Had he found someone new? She looked away when he caught her staring at him, going to get his food from the bar. She went to go take him his order, leaving again to serve more tables, and then she went back over to his booth to refill his pitcher of beer. Time was moving incredibly fast as she hopped from one table to the next as she catered to each customer, pocketing generous tips that was left for her.

She found that Mr. Fitz's eyes would follow her around, watching her with a look of fascination on his face. She tried her best not to meet his eyes each time, but sometimes she would fail miserably. She swept and cleared away more available tables, then she transported more food, and then she jotted down more orders, starting to feel over worked. She would give anything about right now to be able to crawl underneath her covers and go to sleep. Her shift was slowing down as her break neared. She took her own order of cheesy fries and a glass of Coke soda to a booth in the corner, scooting in as she deposited her handbag on top the table. She ate and sipped her drink leisurely, before pulling out The Scarlet Letter, and To Kill a Mockingbird. She was going to take some time to work on her book reports' while she had the time. She was elongating a paragraph, when she saw a shadow fall over her table. She looked up to see Mr. Fitz staring down at her, before he sat down uninvited, his long legs grazing hers. She rolled her eyes tempestuously at his disturbance. She couldn't believe his audacity. Did he want her to cause a scene? She wasn't scared to do it, but fear of losing her job kept her mum. Did he really want to do this again? Why couldn't he just leave her alone? Her eyes were livid as they looked into his, catechizing him. What did he want? His whole attitude was unruffled as he continued to look at her. She shook her head and just omitted him, going back to her book report.

"I didn't know that you work here," Mr. Fitz said as he broke the silence.

"I don't think you earn that right to know where I seek employment at," Aria said with tart, not looking up from her paper.

"Maybe so," Mr. Fitz said with a sad laugh as he fiddled with his fingers. "Do you like it here? You look like you enjoy it.

"I like waitressing," Aria said coldly, stating a fact. Her eyes were still trained on what she was writing. "And, the tips aren't bad".

"Do you still work at the book rack?" Mr. Fitz asked, not bothered by her cold behavior.

She thought she heard amusement in his voice.

"As a matter of fact, I do," Aria said, not seeing how it was any business of his. "I only work here part time".

"I didn't notice your car outside, so I was a bit surprised to see you here," Mr. Fitz admitted, a lazy hand running through his hair as he rubbed the back of his neck with the other.

"Not that it concerns you, but my car broke down on me again, so I'm trying to earn enough money to buy a new car," Aria said, not understanding why she was even telling him.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Mr. Fitz said with sincerity, trying to gauge her mental outlook.

She shrugged as though to say it happens. She was over it.

"So, how has that goal been going for you? Have you reached it yet?" Mr. Fitz asked as he fooled with the salt and pepper shakers, rotating them around.

"Not yet, but I'm getting there," Aria said, before slurping her drink nosily, hoping that it would somehow disgust him and he would leave.

He chuckled at her intention, but he was adamant on staying put.

"How is your book reports' coming along? Do you need any help?" Mr. Fitz asked as he reached across the table to take the two books into his hands, mulling over their frontcovers. "Are you going to have it done by next week? I could give you more time if you need it".

"It's coming along great. And no, I don't need, or want your help. I'm pretty capable of handling it myself," Aria told him acridly without pause. "And I don't need any special treatment. I'll have it done on time".

"I'm only trying to help you Aria. I'm your teacher. That is what I'm supposed to do," Mr. Fitz argued with reason.

"Well don't. I don't need your help," Aria said with anger as she finally looked up at him.

"If you want to hate me Aria, that's okay, but don't let your emotions come between your learning," Mr. Fitz told her, trying to make her see even though she didn't want to.

She couldn't say anything in her defense, because she knew that he was right. She looked back down again, infuriating him.

"Why can't you look at me Aria?" Mr. Fitz asked with anger filling his voice as he took hold of her chin, lifting it up towards his face. He had moved so quick, that she didn't have time to react to him touching her. "And I'm not just talking about a glance. I'm talking about a real look. One that doesn't involve you looking away from me".

"Why should I look at you? Huh?" Aria asked icily as she removed herself from out of his hold.

He had no right to touch her. Why was she so visibly shaking? She didn't like how she could still feel him. Still feel his hand on her chin.

"Because I want to see your eyes Aria," Mr. Fitz answered without shame of being truthful. "I want to be able to read them. To see what you're thinking and feeling".

"How I think and feel is none of your business," Aria seethed as she felt herself losing control of her anger. She could sense people starting to look in their direction. "You have no right. Damn you".

"You're right. I don't have the right to ask you that," Mr. Fitz said with defeat as he blew out a breath, before running a hand down his face. "I think I better leave".

He got up to go, stopping just short of her. He fought with himself, not knowing if he wanted to leave, or if he wanted stay. He made up his mind.

"I left your tip on the table," Mr. Fitz said in a strangulated voice, and then he walked off, leaving out the door.

She got up and threw her trash away, and then she went over to clean the booth that he had occupied, finding a forty dollar tip. She stared down at the money in her hand. What was he thinking? She didn't deserve this much. She had hardly been a waitress to him. She didn't want it. She dropped the money from her hand, and then she turned to leave. She wouldn't accept anything from him. She didn't care how bad she needed it. The last thing she needed was a reminder that Mr. Fitz had a hand in buying her new car. She didn't like the thought. He could keep his money.

"Hey, Aria," A tall lanky girl with a pixie cut called after her. "You forgot your tip on the table".

"You keep it Izzy," Aria said with a smile, turning back around as she went to go finish up her shift.

**I'm sorry for the wait guys, but I didn't know that this chapter was going to be this long, or that my home internet would be down. But anyway, what did you think? Reviews please! I hoped you liked it. I did :). I haven't started on the next chapter yet, but I hope to really soon.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

**Ezra POV**

Ezra leaned back in his office chair, reclining back as he gulped down his chocolate milk. One hand was secured behind his head as he was immersed in deep thought. He had just got finished keying in his finale grades for all his classes for the week. He exhaled heavily, before stretching his numb limbs and yawning. He was exhausted, but he knew that he couldn't sleep. He had to chaperone the junior prom tonight. He stifled another yawn before it could fly out of his mouth. He rubbed his tired eyes, massaging them soothingly. He wasn't looking forward to it. He already knew the reason why. It was because of her, because of Aria. He didn't want to see her with Adam. He had already seen them together twice, and he didn't want to witness it again. It came as no surprise how much he disliked the boy. He felt his jealousy coursing through his veins, totally taking over him, taking over his logic for thinking straight.

His eyes made their way over to the window in front of him, gazing out at the blackish sky. He yawned for a third time, before blindly reaching out to grab a ginger snap cookie with his free hand. He bit down on the harmless cookie with such ruthlessness, wishing that he was breaking Adam in half. He didn't condone violence, but he would make an exception for him. But, he had no one to blame but himself. Him leaving had opened the door for her to purse a relationship with Adam. Would she still have gone out with him if he had stayed in town? Who was he kidding? Of course she would have. Adam was her first crush after all. It was hard for a person to forget their first love if they had never got the chance to explore their options. Why was he still beating himself up over making the right decision to expand his teaching capabilities? It was simple; Aria didn't want anything to do with him anymore. She didn't want him physically. For some odd reason, that revelation didn't sit well with him.

He drank some more of his milk, before sitting down his glass, and then he reached for another ginger snap, munching on it as he grappled for a fourth one. It wasn't necessarily his favorite, but it sated his sweet teeth at the moment and it kept him conscious. He thought back to staring at her in class yesterday. He couldn't help the way his eyes always seemed to follow her every move. It was like she commanded his attention. He couldn't quite pay attention if she was in his room. It was like he saw no one else, but her. She had some kind of power over him. It was that same power that could make him lose sense of time and common sense. It made him question his life, his beliefs. His sense of right and wrong. He couldn't help but keep his eyes guarded and his emotions in check when she was in his attendance. To never let her know what he was truly thinking show on his face. It made him feel less vulnerable. That was the reason why he couldn't let her know how much control she had over him.

Ezra thought back to the moment when he had asked her to stay after class again. He didn't know what he had been thinking to ask her to remain after class two days in a row. He wasn't unintelligent. He had taken into account the many raised brows and a few baffled faces from some students on their way out the door. He knew that he was causing there to be some suspicion on his part, but he hadn't cared. His only concern at the time had been to clarify his whereabouts to her once more. A lot of good that did him, he thought, his mouth twisting up into a wry smile at the unfortunate event. She had been additionally cold to him when she had asked him why he couldn't leave her alone. He had quickly gotten irritated and hurt by her comment. He had shown her a moment of weakness that he wasn't entirely comfortable with her seeing. He refused to let that happen again. He was anything but weak. He didn't like how it made him feel. He hadn't liked her choice of language, when she had said that he should have thought about being her teacher before fucking her. She was much too beautiful to use such crude words. Her mouth much too lovely.

He couldn't believe his luck when he had found out that she worked at the Blue Ivy Grill. He had no knowledge that she worked there. Would that have kept him away? He didn't think so. He was under the impression that the book rack was her only job. The encounter had given him another opportunity to talk with her. He was no stranger to see that she wasn't particularly pleased to see him. The scorn couldn't have been more apparent on her angelic face. He had watched her work. He had watched her interact with the numerous customers that had inhabited her area. He had been fascinated by her. Intrigued. She had been super friendly and easygoing with them. She had cared about them. Had got them whatever they had asked for. Had catered to their every request. Her smiles had been genuine. He missed them. He could tell that she enjoyed and loved waitressing there. It showed. Not to mention, she was a top notch server. The way she had skillfully balanced those trays on top of her shoulders as she paraded up and down the section as though she owned the joint. She wasn't guarded with them like she was with him. She was open. He missed that also. It felt so surreal that she was once like that with him. Her customers had seemed to love her too. He hadn't cared that she had caught him staring when her mesmeric eyes would meet his, before moving away again. He had made it no secret.

In return she had even watched him as he turned down some women that had approached his table. He hadn't known what to make of it. Her face had been stoic. Don't get him wrong, the women had been attractive enough. Had got his pulse racing, but he hadn't been interested in any of them. His perception of them had been lukewarm. There had only been one girl he had been interested in. And that girl had been Aria. He couldn't believe he had inexcusably tried to compare those women to her. They couldn't measure up. Yeah, they had all the right curves, nice size breasts, and were shapely, but somehow Aria stood out from the rest. She was in a category all by herself. Was he always going to compare other women to her? He asked himself. Was he always going to turn them down as well? He couldn't be so sure of that. He was a man foremost. He had needs. He wasn't going to become some celibate monk. He didn't have to be in a relationship to have sex with other women.

He remembered his conversation with her when she had went on her break. She hadn't been in a very talkative mood. He could tell that she hadn't liked him disturbing her. She tried to ignore him, but she couldn't. She tried to get him to leave, but he didn't. He could tell that her failed efforts angered her more. He had found that amusing and cute, but he didn't like how she wouldn't look at him. Wouldn't at least glance up at him. He had wanted to see her eyes. The same eyes that he found solace in. Found pleasure in when he would gaze into her eyes while having sex with her. Found so earthly unresistible and unpredictable at times. He had wanted to know what she was feeling. When he had touched her, he had known it had been a mistake to try to force her to look up into his eyes as he had took hold of her chin. He had taken little satisfaction in that brief contact, before she had pulled away from him.

Pulling himself out of his continuum of thoughts, he gave his head an animated shake, before he got started on grading the stack of book reports that sat ungraded on the corner of his desk from the students that had turned theirs in early. The assignment wasn't due until Monday. He hauled the mountain size stack of papers towards him, his other hand busy fumbling down inside his desk drawer to look for a workable pen. He found it without delay, as he began reading the first ten book reports on To Kill a Mockingbird, then the next ten on The Scarlet Letter and ten more for To Kill a Mockingbird, and then he called it quits as he marked the last ten for The Scarlet Letter. He was highly disappointed with the outcome of reading all thirty reports. Not a single student had comprehended what he had asked for. What he had been looking for. He had leaned that upon reading their written report thoroughly. The objective had been simple enough. They only had to follow his instructions pertaining to the topic. He had graded their papers with harsh and constructive criticism, leaving feedback on better improvement and comprehension next time. He didn't want their word for word retelling of the novels. He already knew each book depiction. He wanted their opinion. He just would have to be more precise when he assigned the next book report.

Ezra knew he had to plan at least three club meetings next week. His school schedule was already pretty busy, but it was crucial that he fit them in. He swirled around in his chair and took what he was looking for off his shelf, and then he whirled back around again. He then opened up his calendar book, making quick notes as he circled Monday, Wednesday, and Friday as the selected days. He breathed a small sigh of relief at having accomplished that part. They had a lot to discuss and plan. They had to talk about the car wash that was going to be on next Saturday, and the upcoming New Orleans trip if they had earned enough money from their fundraisers' they were going to be taking part in. He wrote down a list of possible fundraisers' they could have. He drank some more of his chocolate milk, and then he jotted down his luncheon with Hollis administration on Tuesday and his staff meeting for next Thursday.

While he was still thinking about the poetry club, he reached down into his shoulder bag that was nestled by his leg and took out a piece of folded notebook paper. He unfolded the paper, instantly recognizing Aria's beautiful handwriting even if she hadn't put her name on it. She had done her own research just like he had asked for on places to stay, visit and eat, tours to venture on, and poetry clubs to check out in New Orleans. She had included the names and the descriptions for each place. He found that helpful. He easily pulled up the website she had gone to, filing the page under favorites to come back to it sometime later. First he had to calculate up what their budget was going to be, but he couldn't do that until they started making some money from their fundraisers'. He wasn't taking them anywhere until he had figured it all out. He was a very practical and cautious man. He made a notation to ask Mr. Wallace, and Mrs. Baker if they would accompany him again on this trip, before putting his calendar back onto his shelve.

He found his mind drifting back to Aria. He had come to the conclusion about Aria's feelings towards him. She had never been clearer about hating him. About feeling nothing but contempt for him. He thought that he could just dismiss it in hopes of her one day feeling differently, but he wasn't so sure anymore. How long was she going to hold this resentment against him? If only she wasn't so stubborn and angry. That's why he had to talk to her again. She wouldn't come to him on her own unless it was very important. Fat chance of that happening, he thought with a morose smile. He seriously thought about devising up a plan to be able to tutor her for the upcoming English exam, but he couldn't. He found that he couldn't do it. It was wrong. It was unethical. It broke every teacher code in the book. He couldn't resort to such drastic measures to try and speak with her. He felt horrible for even thinking that. He would just have to find some other means of communication.

He pushed himself up from his chair as he headed into his bedroom down the hall, making a beeline for his bathroom. He brushed his teeth, wanting to get the taste of ginger out of his mouth, then he rinsed his mouth out with mouthwash, and then he splashed some cold water on his face, before making his way back into his bedroom to get ready. He ran sacked his closet and dressers to look for something to wear. He couldn't find anything. He was growing frustrated. Since when did he care what he wore? Who was he trying to impress? The last thing he wanted was to have another girl developing a crush on him. He wanted to be comfortable and unrestricted. He rummaged one more time through his articles of clothing. He also wanted to look causal as possible. He didn't want to take away from the juniors' night to shine. He didn't want to attract any attention to himself. After a while, he settled for a white stripe blazer, a purple V-shape t-shirt and a pair of blue denim jeans, and a pair of Kenneth Cole loafers. He screwed on his watch, grabbed his car keys, and then he left out his apartment.

The drive was a fast one as he finally made it to the school. Cars were parked everywhere as he maneuvered his own car into the jam packed parking lot at the front of the school. Some vehicles were even parked on the grass. He swerved a couple of times to avoid hitting the entourage of people blocking the way as they made their way on foot up to the school. He could hear their energetic voices. He had a hard time backing up into his park because more people and more cars kept coming. As he waved a group of giggling girls in long bright flowing dresses in front of his car to proceed ahead of him, he saw truck loads of people still showing up left and right. He parked, and then he got out of the car, hearing the booming sound of music come to greet his ears from inside the building. He locked his car doors, and then he began his long trek up to the front of the school, seeing as limousine after limousine arriving up to the front entrance. They were black and white. More was starting to turn into the school's entryway. He wondered which one Aria was in. He banished that thought instantaneously as he moved along, not wanting to hold up oncoming traffic. He heard the blaring of some angry car horns as he left the distracting noise behind him.

He walked through the entrance, faltering in his tracks as he looked around the gymnasium in awe, his mouth hanging open. His eyes took in everything in small doses. He was like he had just stepped into an underwater kingdom. A million balloons that were dark blue, light blue and teal, and white littered the floor and hovered in a blue fishnet above the dance floor. A huge bubble blower machine was dispending out bubbles all around. A hundred hanging lanterns made up in the colors red, purple and white, Fuchsia pink, yellow and ivory, orange, green, and blue filled the ceiling as well as silver and blue danglers hung from the ceiling. Bermuda blue glitter luminescent columns that were 8 feet tall were scattered across the gymnasium. A dark blue metallic eyelash fabric was used for the backdrop, which covered every square inch of the walls to enhance the undersea theme. The gym floor was designed in bluish purple mottled gossamer. Banners with the words, welcome to the undersea enchantment prom 2012 and beautiful murals of sea life adorned the walls. The artist hands that had a hand in helping were impressive. He had never known any school committee go to such extremes to make their theme ring truer.

A real life like ship wreckage display stood far off in the corner with prefect detailing. A huge black island treasure chest with golden trim stood beside the sunken ship. Golden moments gossamer sails tower 12' above the dramatic black ship. A gray maritime anchor was attached to the side of the ship_._The rocks that surrounded the ship were made from seamless paper. The rocky ocean floor was created with black mottled gossamer. The waves of the ocean were built using dark blue, light blue and teal, and white gossamer. The work that had went into each individual creation was astounding. Bermuda blue tablecloths covered tables with the matching square paper plates, paper cups and napkins, plastic cutlery. An anchor centerpiece, assorted seashells and mini sea creatures, fish confetti, real starfish and ocean animal stirrers, a tissue crab, and three tissue tropical fish resided at every table. Props included sharks, whales and dolphins, sea turtles, stingray, all different types of fish, jellyfish and squids, sea snakes and eels, sea horses, octopuses', clams with pearls, starfish, sea crabs, mermaids and merman, coral reefs and seaweed, reeds, kelp, sea grass, Phytoplankton's, and sea grapes. It was so real and life like. Each prop had awesome detailing.

In another corner in front of the bleachers a photo section was set up with an ocean blue arch. The arch was 11 feet high x 6 feet wide. It featured lighted fabric columns and a metal column accented with festooning, small and big tropical fish, and balloons. A long buffet table was set up by the tables. Just like the theme under the sea, the food was all seafood related. Crab cakes, fish shaped in squares and crabs, shrimp, lobster, lobster pizza, lobster and shrimp nachos, French fries, Cole slaw, cornbread and corn sticks, oysters, mussels, steak, baked potatoes, corn on the cob, pasta salad, fried calamari, green beans, hushpuppies, clams ,and drink fountains' that dispensed out raspberry and strawberry lemonade with crushed ice was among the food. The stage was decked out with even more balloons that were shaped in the imitation of the undersea life. It was like an underwater forest with the other added ornamentations. A microphone stand was set up in the middle of the stage, and two throne chairs resided behind it to signify where the queen and king would take their seat upon the stage. Everything came together magically. He closed his mouth and moved on, making room for the antsy arrivals behind him.

He went to go stand by the buffet table, placing both of his hands into his pockets as he watched as more people arrived through the door with their dates. He monitored everyone they came in, taking in their well thought out attire for the special occasion. He knew that she would walk in at any moment with Adam by her side. He rocked back on his heels as he waited. He was a ball of nervous. He didn't know why. He didn't know what do if he saw her. Should he speak? He didn't think that was such a good idea. He thought that it would be best to avoid her until he got her alone somewhere else. Somewhere away from school. This wasn't the place to seek her out without a valid reason. A lot of teachers were here. They were watching from ever corner of the gym. His eyes scanned the room as even more students piled in. He that thought the fire marshal would suddenly show up if any more people arrived. He wondered what kind of dress she would have on. Wondered how she would have her hair. Wondered if she would smell like flowers or wet kisses. Wondered if she would dance the whole night. Did she even know how to dance? He asked himself, but then he remembered that time when she had danced for him. Only him. That memory would be forever etched into his brain. He was a lousy dancer. He had never taking lessons. He wondered if she would kiss Adam every chance she got. That was something he didn't want to even wonder about.

Ezra didn't have long to wait as Aria and Adam made their grand entrance with their flock of friends. He couldn't breathe. He could only stare at her. He willed himself not to just stand there like a robot. Their eyes meet across the room and he fell into the abyss of her eyes. It didn't matter that she looked away afterwards. She still had looked at him directly. He watched as she moved about the room with Adam holding her hand. They were being surrounded by more of their friends as they came over to join them. Aria's dress was more flattering by far. She looked exquisite in it. She had never looked more beautiful and perfect in his eyes. He couldn't stop his eyes from taking all of her in. To the top of her lovely head, to the bottom of her delicate feet. It was hard for him to swallow as he felt his throat closing up on him, his heart beating rather loudly through his chest. He was afraid that someone would hear it. Afraid that someone would see him openly gaping at her. Her dress was strapless and black. It came to her knees, exposing her creamy legs and flawless skin. It was the appropriate length for her height. The front of the dress was crafted with a sweetheart neckline to show off her ripe breasts. They were mashed together rather tightly, almost toppling over the seams. It was as though they were looking for a way out. Her feet were encased in black platform scandals. Her long lustrous hair was swept in a half-up and half-down style with layered curls falling voluminously down the sides of her face and below her shoulders. The hairstyle helped to shape her already radiant face. He didn't have to be close to her to see the sparkling glitter on her face, neck and the tops of her breasts, and her bare shoulders. It enhanced her beauty. He tore his eyes from off of her to look at Adam. He had on an original black tuxedo. It was nothing too flashy.

He walked around as the prom progressed nicely, keeping a sharp eye on every student as they socialized with their friends, danced on the dance floor and took pictures, and eat, but he couldn't help following every move that Aria and Adam made. He watched as they danced closely, talked, and kissed slowly while gazing into each other's eyes. He looked away, scolding himself. He had to concentrate on his duties as a chaperone, but that didn't stop him from watching them every now and then. He made light conversation with teachers, then he grabbed something to eat, and then and checked to see if the drinks were spiked or not, before turning towards the stage as the live band took the stage again to preform another one of their popular songs. He leaned back against the wall he was on and let the music take him to another time and place. The lead singer and guitarist had great chemistry with the other lead singer in his band. Her eyes were locked on him, and his eyes were locked on her. It was like they were the only two people in the world as the other members' in their band played along with them. He found himself wondering about them. He wanted to know what their story was. He could feel the energy between them. He could see the love in their eyes. The way that he went to go stand by her. The way that his face moved closer to hers as they shared the same microphone, and by the way that he kissed her on the cheek before moving back to stand by his own microphone. He could tell by the crowd's silence that he wasn't the only one that was mesmerized by them. He looked around, seeing as Aria leaned back into Adam's chest as he wrapped his arms around her, whispering down into her ear as she smiled, her eyes focused on the band. He looked back towards the stage, losing himself once more into the spellbinding music. What else could he do?

The band played two more songs, and then it was time to crown the King and Queen. The six contestants made their way to the stage as their names were called one by one, Aria losing her grip on Adam's hand as she walked up onto stage. His blue eyes staying glued to her form. He could tell that she was nervous, but she didn't let it show. He wanted her to look at him, but she didn't. She didn't see him. Her eyes were connected to Adam's. She never once looked away. It was like he was giving her some sense of confidence to appear calm and collected. It felt like a weight of bricks was being dumped onto his chest, with each brick becoming unbearable to withstand. He looked away from the obvious bond between them, preferring to watch Spencer Hastings take the stage to reveal who had been picked for King and Queen for the junior prom. She began to talk about the school year so far, about life in general, and about this moment right now. The crowd waited with anticipation, holding their breaths as Spencer held the first index card up to her face. When she read out Alec's name for prom king, there was thunderous claps all around as the boy stepped forward to receive the crown on top his head and give his acceptance speech, before sitting down in one of the throne like chairs. Spencer waited until the clapping died down, before holding up the second card. She smiled and spoke with happiness as she read Aria's name off the index card, moving to embrace her friend in a tight hug, before placing the tiara on her head. The crowd went crazy with claps, whistles and cheers, and shouts. The loudest supporter being Adam himself as he cheered on his girlfriend.

Ezra was happy for her. He couldn't say that he wasn't surprised that she had won. Aria was definitely the superior of the three. She walked up to the microphone stand with her bouquet of flowers in her arms as she got ready to give her speech of gratitude. She couldn't stop smiling as the cheering went on and on, before eventually calming down. Her voice was slightly emotional as she thanked her friends for their support, her family and members on the yearbook staff, Adam for his encouragement, and her fellow competition for making it a tough run, before going over to sit down next to Alec, who congratulated her. Spencer gave another speech, and then it was time for the King and Queen to share a dance as they took the dance floor. Everyone else gathered closely around them, making a circle as the live band started up again. As the song ended, everyone joined in for the next song as Aria made her way over to Adam. He kissed her, before drawing her body close to his as they danced together. What he wouldn't give to be the one holding and kissing her. He didn't know how long he stood and watched them, before moving onward.

He followed a ways behind the unsuspecting pair as they snuck out of the gymnasium. They had not known that he had been watching them from the shadows the entire night. He was fuming with uncontrollable rage as he stalked down the empty dark corridors in a fit of fury, each step sounding louder to his own ears as he lost sight of the duo. He could kill Adam. His anger grew greater and greater as he spotted the pair again as he turned right down an unoccupied hallway. The boy had no shame apparently. What was he up to? He knew it couldn't be good. He knew it have to have been his elaborate plan to leave out of the gym. He gritted his teeth in anger as his strides quickened with purpose. It was all Adam's fault. He couldn't believe he was acting like Aria was all innocent in this, when she was anything but that. He knew that first hand. He shook his head in disbelief. She wasn't some naïve little girl. She knew exactly what she was getting into. Aria was bold and forward. She always went after what she wanted with little disregard for the consequences. She wouldn't do anything if she wasn't okay with it. Why did he even care? Adam was her boyfriend. The word sounded sour on his tongue. He wasn't quite use to the notion. He knew that he had no right to interfere with them, but being a teacher give him grounds for reason. He smiled covertly at that. His whole body was trembling furiously as he caught back up to the wandering pair once again as they darted into a deserted classroom.

His stomach gave a crazy lurch as fear paralyzed him momentarily. He was afraid of what he was getting ready to walk into. He hoped Aria wouldn't sleep with him. He wanted to be her only lover. The only guy that she had ever been with. He almost laughed bitterly at that harsh reality. A beautiful capable girl like Aria wasn't going to remain untouched forever. He wasn't proud of it, but he liked that he had been her first. He thought that he still had sometime to figure out what he wanted when it came to her, but he still didn't know the definition of his feelings regarding her. They were a mystery. He couldn't stand the fact that he was losing out to Adam. It was smart of him to even think that in the beginning when he had first seen them on the bus together. He hated that she appeared to be over him. That she could so easily replace him. That to her, he was nothing but a distant memory. That she could so easily forget what they had done. Not once, but twice. He knew that he shouldn't be, but he was angry with her. How could a child make him feel this way? No, she wasn't a child. That was the wrong description. She was a young woman. A teenage girl. He just wanted her to let him explain his reasons for doing what he had done. He didn't care about her being angry with him, but he wanted them to talk face to face alone without any interruptions. He wanted to make her listen even if she didn't want to hear it. He wanted to make her hear him out finally. Would she listen? Give him a chance at least? He wanted that more than anything. She couldn't get the chance to always pretend like it never happened between them, or run away from him. She couldn't avoid him forever.

He took a deep breath as his hand turned the doorknob, bracing himself for what he was about to see, his temper reaching a dangerous level as it went unchecked. The classroom door opened up without much resistance. He could hear heavy breathing, making him see red as he heard Aria's soft moans. He wanted to shut his ears off to the noises that were coming from the both of them. There could only be one reason why. He felt sick. He felt extremely hurt. Aria couldn't have gotten him back a better way. He was the only one to blame. He was the reason that this was happening. He thought about turning back around and leaving out, but some unseen invisible force was keeping him there. God, it was torturous.

It took a minute for his eyes to adjust to the darkened room, making out the outline of both their silhouettes. He froze in step, his fists clutching and unclutching at his sides at what he was seeing in front of him. He was blinded by unspeakable rage as he quietly observed the scene taking place before him. It took another minute for him to finally calm down, but he did so with much effort on his part. He closed off his emotions, not wanting them to cloud his judgment for much longer. He feared that he would do something unforgettable. His handsome face was impassive as he continued to watch the rather engaging pair as they still didn't take notice of his ominous presence in the room with them.

Aria was on top a desk with her dress hoisted all the way up to her crotch and thighs. Adam was standing in between her legs fully clothed, thrusting his hips into her gently. Were they having sex, or was he imagining things? They were kissing aggressively, and heatedly. They were wrapped in a fierce embrace. Adam was reverently cupping her full breasts in his hands as his fingers massaged her nipples mildly through the material of her dress as she made inarticulate sounds of bliss and wonder. He squeezed his eyes shut, before reopening them again. Not too long ago he was the one eliciting those sounds from her. He wanted to wipe the images from his membrane. He uprooted himself from his spot as he moved more into the room, lifting his hand up to switch on the lights. This had gone on long enough. He didn't want to witness anymore. He startled the couple as they quickly disentangled themselves. They both were blinking rapidly as they got reacquainted with the brightly illuminated room.

He was killing them with silence as he just stood there staring at them, his face giving nothing away. They couldn't possibly know what he was thinking, or what he was going to do. For now, he had the upper hand. Adam moved from between Aria's thighs as she slid from off the desk gracefully, taking the time to brush down her rumpled dress. He didn't look at her. He couldn't look at her yet. All his attention was for the younger boy. He fixed him with a murderous glare, but the boy didn't squirm, look away, or break eye contact under Ezra's hated gaze. The boy had more courage than sense. He could almost admire him. Almost, but not completely. He knew the boy could see and feel how much he didn't like him. There was no look of confusion this time. The way the boy stood unflinchingly, and how he fixed Ezra with his own gaze, he could easily tell that he was challenging him.

Ezra's mouth twitched up into a smirk, his blue eyes not finding that show of theatrics the least bit amusing. He could feel Aria's accusing eyes on him. He could tell without looking at her that she was furious. That she could barely keep her anger in check, but he still didn't look her way. He continued to stare hard at Adam. He could go on and on with their staring match. He took a couple of menacing steps towards him, but then he stopped. He remembered himself. He remembered his position as a teacher. When he did choose to look at Aria, she took some steps backwards, bumping into the desk. What she saw in the depths of his eyes scared her. She had never before seen him this out of control. She had never seen him display this level of anger before. He suffered a moment of regret. It wasn't his intention to frighten her, he thought as he moved his eyes away from her, fixing them back on Adam.

"Mr. Bailey, you and Ms. Montgomery are supposed to be in the gymnasium," Ezra said with a steely calmness as he eyed the young man with animosity. "I suggest the both of you get back to the prom".

"Dude what is your problem?" Adam asked angrily as he zipped his pants back up, not planning on moving from the spot he was at.

"My problem, Mr. Bailey, is that you're prohibited from engaging in any sexual activities while still on school grounds," Ezra explained, his voice just as expressionless as his face was. "And I'm not going to repeat myself again. You and Ms. Montgomery need to get back to the gymnasium this instant. If not, then I'll be force to take action".

Adam just shook his head with incredulity, his green eyes showcasing his anger.

"Dude, you need a reality check. I mean really. You're taking your job a little too seriously," Adam said as he stared back at Ezra, not backing down an inch.

Ezra silently congratulated himself on keeping a level head and keeping his cool. The boy had a death wish. The kid obviously didn't fear breaking school rules, or getting into trouble.

"What I'm doing, Mr. Baily, is following school guidelines," Ezra said, his voice growing colder with each work spoken. "You have two options, I could either report you, or you could head back to the gymnasium quietly without any more insolence. The choice is yours. You better make it quick. My patience is running thin".

"You just do that," Adam challenged, his eyes glowing with apparent thrill, still not making any movements towards the door. "What's your issue with me man? What have I ever done to you? I'm starting to see a pattern with you. First it was in New York City and now here. What's your deal?"

Ezra knew he had to be careful. The boy was becoming suspicions.

"Are you seriously challenging me, Mr. Bailey? A teacher no less?" Ezra asked with even more coldness than before as he walked up to him. They were standing toe to toe. He smiled humorously, before it fell away. He could have sworn that he saw a flash of fear in the boy's eyes as he coldly studied him, before it disappeared like the trace was never evident. "I'm urging you to tread lightly with me, Mr. Bailey. You don't really want to go head to head with me. I assure you, you will lose. Whether it's physical, or mental".

"Adam, please," Aria's sultry voice broke through the heavy fog of male testosterone and tension as she placed her hand on his forearm. He had forgotten that she was here. He chanced a look towards her. She looked alarmingly concerned. Not for him, but for Adam as she gazed up into his face. That observation seemed to enrage him even more. Was she so worried that he would cause Adam physical harm? It hurt. It really hurt that she would believe him capable of something like that. Adam was still a student at Rosewood high school. He would never harm anyone of his students. His job description was to educate and protect. He came to a conclusion that she really did care for Adam. This was no act. "Let's just go back to the gym".

"All right, I'll go," Adam said reasonably, giving in as he spared her a look, before rudely brushing against Ezra on his way to the door. He stopped when he noticed that Aria wasn't following him. He looked back at her, his face a mixture of confusion and inquisition. "Aria, are you coming?"

He waited as well to hear her answer. What would it be? Would she leave with Adam? What did he want? Did he want her to stay put? He had never feared an answer some much. He glanced toward her again. He was taken aback to see that she wasn't looking at Adam, but him as her brown eyes connected with his. He could still read the hidden anger in her big beautiful doe like eyes. She wanted to talk to him alone without Adam around to hear. He knew the conversation that they were getting ready to have would end badly.

"Yeah, I just want to talk to Mr. Fitz alone first," Aria told him with a small smile. "You go on ahead. I'll catch up with you in a few minutes".

Adam was reluctant to leave her alone with him. Ezra could clearly read that on his face as he looked back over his shoulder at the younger man. His lips lifted into a quirk.

"I'll be fine Adam, really," Aria assured him with another smile, reading his resistance as well. "This conversation won't take very long".

"Are you sure?" Adam asked protectively, not making a move to leave out the door. His chartreuse colored eyes were trained on Ezra. "I could just wait outside the door. I don't feel comfortable leaving you alone with him".

Ezra laughed without humor, shaking his head.

"Have you forgotten that I'm a teacher Mr. Bailey?" Ezra asked with hardness as he formed each word, his face arctic.

"Doesn't mean anything," Adam said evenly, his voice rose.

"I'm positive," Aria said with certainty, removing her eyes away from Ezra. "You don't have to worry about me. I'll be fine Adam. Now please, go".

He nodded his head, ultimately leaving out the door. Ezra didn't know how long they stood there in silence looking at one another, before Aria broke the ice.

"What is your problem? You're acting like a jealous maniac" Aria bit out with anger as she crossed her arms over her breasts, biting down on her bottom lip that was slightly swollen form Adam kisses. "So, are you? Are you jealous of my relationship with Adam?"

"I'm just doing my job Aria. I am one of the chaperones here," Ezra said as though that justified his behavior.

Aria laughed bitterly, shaking her head with utter disbelief.

"I just find that funny how I can spread my legs for you, but somehow the rule doesn't apply to Adam, who is in fact my boyfriend. The hypocrisy I'm getting from you is sickening!" Aria shouted with outrage, her gorgeous face flushed with anger. Was he really being a hypocrite? Then her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Were you following us? You were, weren't you?"

His silence told her everything she needed to know. She bit down harder on her bottom lip, the soft flesh turning white as she got more infuriated with him.

"I didn't want you to make a mistake," Ezra said, knowing that was a weak excuse, but it was the truth.

"And what would have been a mistake?" Aria asked with a derisive laugh as she pulled her hair to her right shoulder, before crossing her arms again.

"You sleeping with Adam would have been a mistake," Ezra said in a lowered voice as he moved closer to her, invading her personal space as his eyes stayed locked with hers. "Did you have sex with him?"

She shifted uncomfortably, but she didn't try to move back from him. Her breathing was becoming irregular. Was that a good sign? He didn't know.

"Since when did you start caring for my welfare? Did you deem yourself to care about my welfare when you left town? Did you care about me enough to call? You were gone for a month and two weeks Ezra. Did you care that you made me feel like shit when I woke up in your bed alone the next morning? And to find out from some neighbor of yours that you had skipped town? You can imagine how foolish I felt," Aria said with venom, her whole body shaking with anger. "And what does it matter to you if I slept with him?"

She missed the pained expression on his face, before he replaced it back with his mask of detachment.

"Did you?" Ezra asked again almost desperately, wanting to know, needing to know as his eyes searched hers out.

She had said his name. She had said it in anger, but still she had said it. He loved the way his name had sounded coming from out of her mouth. It felt right. He wanted to hear his name again. Did she even know that she had said it?

"Yes!" Aria all but screamed at the top of her lungs. "And I'm going to continue to sleep with him again and again. And you want to know why? Because his boyfriend. What I choose to do, or don't do with Adam is none of your concern".

"It's not like I didn't want to tell you the reason why I left Aria, but you wouldn't give me a chance to let me explain myself," Ezra said, his own anger seeping through as he stared into her eyes with such magnitude as she chewed on her bottom lip, shaking her head once more. His eyes dropped down at the thoughtless action, before they flitted back up again, his eyes filling with barley concealed lust as he felt heat surging to that part of him that thickened and pulsated as it strained against the front of his pants. It had been a long time since he had, had sex with her. He shook his head, feeling disgusted with his bodily urges. "I tried to tell you. I tried twice in school and a third time at your job last night".

"Because I don't care," Aria said with ice in her voice, trying her hardest to convince him, and herself that. "And don't look at me like that".

He didn't believe her. He wasn't going to just let this go.

"If you don't care, then why do you keep bringing up my leaving?" Ezra asked her, daring her to contradict him.

He knew that he had her. Her mouth moved, but no words came out as she closed it back up again, opting to remain mute. She did care. It was written all over her face. She couldn't deny it. He had made her admit it. She casted her eyes off from his, but he brought them back to his. They burned with unshed tears and anguish.

"I'm sorry for leaving the way I did and for hurting you. It was the last thing I wanted to do," Ezra apologized for the umpteen time, not letting her turn her head away from him as he held her face in his hands.

Her skin felt soft and feverish as he felt her shivering from his touch. He was making her feel this way. Not Adam, but him. She bit on her lip again and he brushed it with the pad of his thumb, hearing a small gasp escape her silken lips. He groaned deep in his throat, the noise sounding foreign to him. He reminded himself that this wasn't supposed to happen as she looked at him with something like apprehension. She looked so vulnerable. He wanted to promise her that he wouldn't hurt her again, but he didn't. He didn't know what the future held. He brushed his thumb across her sensitive flesh again as it puckered up in responds, hearing as she gasped for a second time. Her eyes were slightly glazed over with concupiscence.

"Do you have feelings for me, Aria?" Ezra asked her forthrightly, catching her completely off guard as he watched as the different expressions played over her countenance, before her eyes narrowed in anger.

"What kind of question is that?" Aria asked defensively, pulling away from him as her walls went back up.

"A simple one," Ezra answered, not taking his question back as his gaze intensified.

He knew that he was seeking the impossible, but he had to know if there was a probability that she felt something real for him. He should have known that Aria wouldn't make it easy.

"What about you? Do you have feelings for me?" Aria asked, humoring him as she smartly averted his question as she flipped the tables back around on him, to see how he liked it.

She seemed to have been waiting on his answer, and when it didn't come, she got mad all over again.

"Just as I suspected," Aria said coldly as she left him standing there, moving towards the door. "Yet you expect me to answer a question you, yourself had no intention of answering. Just leave me alone. Better yet, stay away from me all together".

"Aria," Ezra called before she could walk out the door, scooping down to retrieve the skimpy black lacy thong at his feet. "You might want to put these back on".

"You keep it," Aria said with bite as she gave a careless shrug, not caring either way as she glanced down at the pair of panties in his hand with annoyance, before looking back up into his face once more. "Let it serve as a reminder to you of what it was like to be inside of me, to feel my inner heat enveloping you and to know how good it felt to have my inner walls clenching around you, and to remember how thrusting into me felt so great". She moaned so seductively, before she continued teasing him with what he couldn't have. It was just like old times. "To remember how I smell, how I taste inside of your mouth, on the tip of your tongue, what it's like to touch and hold my breasts and to pull my nipples, and how tight and wet I be, because you'll never get the chance again".

He didn't know how long he stood there with her panties crumpled up in the palm of his hand after she had gone, resisting the urge to sniff them. Her words had left him incoherent. Why did she always have the ability to do that? To cause certain speech to leave him? Her remarks towards him never went unaffected. His conversation with her didn't go like he had wanted it to. For the first time, he felt like a failure. She still hated him, felt hurt by him, and felt anger towards him, but he had no idea that her feelings had ran so deep until tonight. He had no way of knowing that his leaving would cause this colossal reaction from her. Yeah, he got her to admit that she did care about him leaving, but that was all. There was no big win there. He didn't even know what he had expected her to say in regards to his question. Certainly not the truth he thought. He didn't deserve that from her, not yet anyway. He didn't even know what he wanted from her. What did he want from her? What was it he was seeking? His mind was at a blank. He couldn't come up with anything comprehensionable. At least not at the moment. He had a lot to consider. A lot to think about.

In the meantime, he just knew that he had to talk to her again. He had to find out if she had any real feelings for him. He didn't know why he would think that, but something in his gut told him there was a possibility. He didn't know whether to be happy or fear the truth. Did he really want to know? Or would he rather remain ignorant? The choice was his to make. He still didn't understand what had possessed him to even ask her that question. He honestly didn't know the answer. And again the same question came up, what did he feel for her? It still riddled him. He hated not knowing his own feelings. There was only one way to find out.

**First off, thanks for the reviews. I really do enjoy reading them. And please keep them coming. I'm sorry for the long wait, but I am fairly busy with work. I plan to have Chapter 18 up this month as well to sort of make up for it : ). I really loved writing this chapter, and I hope you love it as well. Please don't forget to review! Aria's POV up next. I'm so excited!.**


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

**Aria POV**

Aria pushed back her covers and hopped out of bed, rubbing the crud from her eyes as she blocked out the sun's harsh glare. Her week had been eventful. She had accomplished so many things. She had avoided Mr. Fitz every chance she got. She hadn't gone to any of his assigned poetry club meetings, but Adam had. So she was still well-informed. She had made head way on completing the school's yearbook, and she had finalized what her topic was going to be on for her junior project. English was definitely the right choice for her. It wasn't going to be too stressful or hard. And it wasn't going to take up a lot of her time. She was knowledgeable on the subject already. She had to be if she was aiming to pursue that career field. All she needed now was to find a mentor. It was required of them to ask a teacher, or any member of the school faculty, or members' of the town community to be their adviser throughout the entire project. They had to have a mentor, or they would fail. It was a very important part of their grade. She had a couple teachers' in mind, but she didn't have anything concrete at the moment. But her goal was to have an English teacher be her mentor. She knew that the smart thing was to have Mr. Fitz be her mentor, but she refused. She didn't want to work closely with him. She knew that he would be a great source to get information from. That he would be a great guide, but she couldn't do it. She just couldn't.

She thought back to the moment when Mr. Fitz had caught her and Adam alone at the prom. It wasn't something that she could easily forget. Once upon a time she would have cared about him catching her in a situation like that, but that was so long ago. She had moved on for good reason. What had shocked her most was his behavior. She had never seen him so angry before. She had never witness such rage radiating off of him. She had been scared of him. Never had he gave her a cause to be afraid of him. She didn't ever want to feel that way again. The way that he had looked at Adam with such hate and fury. It had been chilling. She shivered inwardly. The way that he had walked over towards him so menacingly as he stood toe to toe with him. She hadn't been able to decipher what he had been thinking. His face had been expressionless. As was his voice. It held no hint of any kind of emotion. She had been so concerned for Adam. At one point, she thought that he would physically harm him. His jealousy had been so out of control. Suspicious. He had acted like some sort of jealous jerk. She had seen it. Adam had seen it. He had commented on it.

How she had let him know too much, and how she had let him get too close to her when she had confronted him after Adam had left them alone. How she had revealed her true feelings about him just leaving. She had never wanted him to know that deep inside of her. To see what she had been hiding so vehemently under her exterior of iciness. Never wanted him to know how much his leaving bothered her on such a deep level. She wasn't proud that he had got her to admit that she cared about him skipping town. She didn't want dwell on that anymore. She had already given him what he had wanted. The truth. Her little secret was out now. She couldn't believe that she had accidentally said his name without much thought. For so long she had called him Mr. Fitz. She had never said his name out loud. She had always said it in her head. It had been weird saying it. She hadn't liked the way it had sounded coming from out of her mouth. In the beginning, yeah, but not now. It was too late. He was only Mr. Fitz to her. He was only her teacher. That was how she saw him. She hoped he hadn't heard her. She hoped he hadn't read too much into it. It had been a slip of the tongue. She had no motives. Sure, there were plenty at first, but not anymore. So much had changed in that time span. She had grown-up.

She couldn't understand why he had invaded her personal space. She had been unnerved by his close proximity. For the first time, she had been the one oblivious to what he was getting ready to say or do. Couldn't understand why he had touched her. She couldn't understand why he had held her face in his hands. Couldn't quite understand why he had brushed his thumb across her bottom lip. Not once, but twice. How she had looked up into his face with such vulnerability. She couldn't understand why she didn't step back from him, or keep him from touching any part of her. She didn't understand why she had just stood there. Couldn't understand the gasps that had left her mouth. She couldn't understand why he had caused her to have that reaction, when she was still angry with him. Couldn't understand the way her eyes had clouded with cupidity. She had just stood there immobilized, her breathing pattern coming out unsteadily. She didn't see his point of asking her if she had feelings for him. Why had he asked her that? She didn't know. She had only remembered getting really angry over it. He had no right to ask her something like that. It was irrelevant. What she felt, or didn't feel didn't matter. What would have been his purpose? What did he hope to gain if she had answered? She didn't trust him. There was something definitely behind the question.

She pondered over his question again in her head, relaxing her barriers as the question took root. She didn't have to pretend when she was by herself. She didn't have to have guards up. She didn't have any feelings towards him. She was sure of that. The only thing that she felt regarding him was resentment and hate. She couldn't fake that. There wasn't anything between them. Not now, not ever. She felt nothing towards him. He was her teacher, and she was his student. That was all. There was nothing more to it. She may, or may not have felt something for him before he had left, but that was nonexistent now. She was committed to Adam. He was the only guy that she wanted. She wasn't being in denial, or being misconstrued in any way. She was perfectly sane. She knew what she felt. She would know her own feelings. She didn't feel anything for him. Why did she keep repeating herself if she was so certain? Why was she trying so hard to convince herself of that? She couldn't feel anything for him. It made her numb to think that she could have feelings for him. She didn't. There was no way in hell. Why would he even think that she would feel anything real for him? Especially after the way he had took off? She shook her head, not wanting to think about him anymore. It just gave her a headache.

Aria made up her bed, her thoughts on Adam. She couldn't go one day without thinking about him, or calling him. She bit her bottom lip. They hadn't spent as much time together this week. He had to prep for graduation and work on his senior project, and she had other obligations. They both also had to work and study for their exams. Going to school all day, and then having to go to work for long hours had her too tired to do much of anything. All she had wanted to do was crawl into her bed and sleep herself into a slumber. She hated being so bone tired and sore and having her feet swelling, but she had to save up enough money for her new car. She couldn't always depend on Adam, her friends, or Byron and Ella for rides. She was so happy that she had last night off from the Blue Ivy Grill. She and Adam had celebrated by going to the Carmike to see the Avengers movie, then they had gone to the new southern restaurant downtown, and then they had gone back to his house to cuddle. The date had been fun and meaningful. She couldn't wait to see him at the car wash today.

Her mind traveled back to the lie she had told Mr. Fitz last Saturday night. She didn't know why she had done it. That wasn't true; she did know why she had done it. She had wanted to hurt him. Had wanted to see what kind of reaction he would have. The lie had been damaging enough. The evidence had suggested it, so why not lie? Besides, it was none of his business if she did have sex with Adam at the prom when he had come upon them. What she did with Adam was no concern of his. She didn't have to report to him or ask his permission. She was a big girl. She knew what she wanted. If she wanted to have sex with Adam, then it was her body, her choice. He had no right to ask her. She didn't ask him who he was having sex with. She didn't want to know. She didn't care. Why did he even want to know? What could he have done with the information? He wasn't a factor in her life. He couldn't dictate what happens in it.

She shook her head again, and then she headed into her bathroom. She washed her face, then she brushed her teeth and applied her cream to help prevent acne on her face, and then she brushed her long silky hair until it rippled and shone, gathering the large amount of hair to her right shoulder as it cascaded pass her breast in soft waves. Next she headed back into her bedroom and got ready to leave. She put on a brown bikini with different color polka dots that complemented her nude fingernails and amplified the shape of her body, then she put on a pair of itty-bitty blue denim shorts that rode low on her hips and shaped her voluptuous figure, and then she walked over to her closet and stepped into a brown pair of flip flops, before going over to sit down at her vanity table. She didn't put on any make up or jewelry, but painted her full lips with a MacDazzleglass smile. It was a light coral with pink and gold pearl.

Aria got up, and then she went to go grab her iPhone 4s off of her desk, surfacing through it with the touch of her finger. She checked her messages, then she looked through her Saturday to do list and checked the weather for today, and then she told Siri to remind her of her date with Adam tonight at the sushi bar located at Rosewood plaza and her hair appointment Monday afternoon. Then she told Siri to play The Vision Of Love by Kris Allen, then she placed her phone on her bed, and then she went around her room picking up her dirty laundry, before heading back into her bathroom to throw her unwashed clothes into her laundry bin behind her bathroom door. Then she headed back into her bedroom, going to grab her black iPhone 4s as the song ended. She had to call Hanna. She didn't know why she didn't ask Siri to remind her.

"Call Hanna Marin," Aria said out loud to her phone as she tapped the microphone at the bottom of the touch screen, waiting as it rung.

Hanna picked up on the second ring.

"Han, are we still meeting up this morning?" Aria asked her as she gazed into the mirror at herself, doing a full body turn. "What was the name of the place again?"

"Yeah, you and me, and Jennifer," Hanna confirmed. "And it's Berrilicious frozen yogurt bar. Do you know the directions there?"

"I thought that Jennifer was spending time with Alec?" Aria asked with confusion, before gnawing on her bottom lip. "And I don't know, but I can ask Siri".

"She was, but he had football practice today," Hanna said, before she suppressed a yawn. "I'm so jealous you're already so skilled with your new phone. I'm still learning the basics. Are you going to need a ride? I can pick you up. I have my mom's car now. She bought herself another one".

"Well, I'm happy that she's coming," Aria said, hating that Spencer and Emily couldn't go. They both had to work. Emily at the sports store and Spencer at Rosewood pharmacy. "No, I shouldn't need a ride. If Byron's here, then I'll just drive his car".

"Okay, I'll see you there," Hanna said happily, before hanging up.

She tucked her phone into her pocket, then she grabbed her crocodile brown flat wallet, and then she left out of her room, bouncing down the stairs as she hummed under her breath. She found Byron in the kitchen cooking breakfast. He smiled and she gave him a kiss on the cheek and a hug, before moving over towards the refrigerator. She took a bottle of apple juice from it, and then she went back over to join Byron at the stove.

"Do you want anything?" Byron asked her as he cracked open an egg, and then he cracked two more, depositing the empty shells back into the carton.

"I don't know. What are you cooking?" Aria asked as she stood on her tiptoes and peeked over his shoulder, before uncapping her bottle of apple juice. "I don't want too much to eat, because I'm meeting Hanna and Jennifer at the frozen yogurt bar".

"I'm just making some scrambled eggs, bacon, and grits," Byron named off, flipping over four slices of bacon in the sizzling frying pan. "And frozen yogurt is not a healthy breakfast".

He made a disapproving face and she just shrugged. It was her body. If she wanted frozen yogurt, then she was going to have it. They had raised her to be independent and to make her own decisions.

"I'll just have two slices of bacon and some eggs," Aria said as she took a sip of her drink. "Oh, and I'm going to have to burrow the car".

"Bacon and eggs it is," Byron said as he scooped it onto a plate, before fixing his own plate. "And sure, you know I don't mind. I don't have to be anywhere important today. Use it as long as you like".

"Thanks," Aria said as she took her plate from him.

"Where do you want to sit?" Byron asked as he took hold of his own plate.

"The counter's fine," Aria said as she hopped on one of the barstools.

Byron took the spot beside her.

"I haven't climbed up on a barstool since I was in college," Byron chuckled to himself. "How's school being going? I know your exams are going up. Are you studying for it?"

"School has been going good. A lot of things are happening, but I have been studying for my exams dutifully," Aria answered as she chewed on a piece of bacon.

"How's work been going?" Byron asked as he ate some of his eggs. "You know I don't like you working at that bar, but I know that you need the money for your new car".

"Both jobs have been okay, but I've been tired a lot lately, but I do need the money for my new car," Aria said as she ate her other slice of bacon. "And I know that you don't like me working at the Blue Ivy Grill, but I love waitressing. I make great tips".

"Aria, sweetheart, you know that me and Ella don't mind helping you out to get your car," Byron said as he looked over at her, his face filled with fatherly concern. "How's yearbook going?"

"I know you guys don't, but I want to do it myself," Aria said determinedly as she smiled over at him. She couldn't learn to live for herself if they did everything for her. She had to experience this for herself. She knew that life wasn't a walk in the park. She knew there was a lot of struggle out in the real world. "Thanks for offering though. And yearbook has been crazy. I still have a lot of things to wrap up, but it's getting there".

"How's your poetry club going? You're still in that right?" Byron asked as he drank his cup of coffee. "Mr. Fitz heads that up right? We never did grab those beers and hangout".

"All right I guess. And yes, I'm still in the poetry club," Aria said, shrugging again. She didn't want to talk about poetry club or Mr. Fitz for that matter. "And yeah, he's the head of it".

"I notice that you don't talk about him like you used to. Why is that?" Byron asked as he drank more of his hot coffee. "You would talk about him constantly. Ella and I couldn't get you to stop. Ella was so sure you had a crush on him".

He laughed, but Aria didn't.

"I've been super busy with school and work. I don't have time to chit-chat with Mr. Fitz," Aria said harshly. Too harshly. Byron was quiet. "No offends, Byron, but I don't care about Mr. Fitz and I don't want to talk about him either".

She looked over at him to see that he was looking at her strangely. She gave him an apologetic smile. She shouldn't have snapped at him. It wasn't his fault that she hated Mr. Fitz and didn't want to talk about him. He seemed to accept it without question. She loved him for that.

"What are your plans for the summer?" Byron asked, changing the subject as he ate his bacon.

"Besides working, nothing," Aria said as she drank more of her apple juice. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, I need a new teacher's assistant for the summer," Byron told her as he ate some of his buttered grits.

"What about Channing?" Aria asked, thinking of the good looking black haired boy with the coal black eyes.

"He's doing an internship for the summer instead," Byron said as he waited for her answer. "I could really use your help. And, it would look good, because you're applying to go to Hollis".

"Of course, I'll do it. I could also enroll in some art classes for the summer there," Aria said excitedly.

She loved spending time with Byron.

"Great," Byron said as he engulfed her in a hug.

Aria got into Byron's silver BMW and she was off with the help from Siri as it gave her directions to the bar. It said that it would be much faster if she took the interstate. She followed the instructions, not doubting the robotic voice. It never steered her wrong before. She came upon her destination in less than 30 minutes. She drove into the parking lot, then she parked, and then she got out, heading inside the colorful establishment. She spotted Hanna and Jennifer sitting at one of the tables in the corner and she smiled widely at seeing her two friends. When she reached them, she gave them each a hug, before sitting down at their table, crossing her long legs.

"So, how does it feel being prom queen?" Jennifer asked Aria as she toyed with a lock of red hair between her fingers.

"I don't know. I'm still kind of like numb about it actually being real," Aria said laughing as she ran a hand through her hair. "How do you guys feel?"

"I'm not going to just sit here lie. I wanted to win, but I'm still happy that you won," Hanna said honestly with a smile, before pushing her sunglasses up on her head. "You're my best friend. I love you".

"Awe, I love you too Hanna, and you know I would have been happy if you would have won instead of me," Aria said genuinely.

She meant it. Even though she had wanted to win, she still would have been fine with Hanna winning.

"I really like how all three of us can be so good-naturedly about it," Jennifer said with a carefree smile. "I honestly would have been okay with either one of us winning".

Aria and Hanna nodded their heads in agreement.

"And did you hear how loud Adam was cheering for you?" Hanna asked with a roguish smile.

"He was definitely loud, "Jennifer agreed as she nodded her head, she too was smiling.

"I did," Aria said with a soft smile. She had noticed. "I really care about him".

"I know that you do," Hanna said with seriousness, hints of amusement leaving her face as she looked into her friend's eyes. "You've never been this happy before. Not with Channing. And definitely not with Wes".

"I know I haven't," Aria said smiling again, biting her on her bottom lip. "It's like when I'm with him, he's all I can think about".

"I know what you mean," Jennifer said as though she could relate. "That's the same way I feel about Alec. It's like were connected in every way. Sometimes he knows what I'm thinking, and then some days I know what he's thinking. Is that weird at all?"

"No, not at all," Hanna sympathized as she looked at her. "You guys both know how I feel about Caleb. I can't see myself being with anybody else but him".

"I think that we should change the topic," Jennifer said laughing. "That's enough boyfriends' worshiping for one day".

"Quite true," Hanna said as she too laughed, the sunlight catching her dirty blonde hair, making it shine brilliantly. "So, you guys do know the fair is going up right?"

"Really?" Aria asked as though it was news to her. She couldn't believe that she had forgotten. "Did you know Jen?"

"Yes. Alec and me talked about going with Austin and Ally," Jennifer relayed the information.

"I can't believe that you forgot Aria," Hanna told her as though she had committed some big capital crime against the world. Hanna certainly knew how to take the word dramatic to a whole new level. "Did you not see all the flyers posted up around the school?"

"Obviously I didn't, but then again, I have been pretty preoccupied lately," Aria pointed out as she gazed around the cozy setting as people went about filling their cups with all kinds of flavored yogurt, before making their way over to the topping bar, and then they went to go weight and pay for their order.

"Do you and Adam want to double date with me and Caleb," Hanna asked, her eyes checking out the topping bar to see want toppings she wanted.

"Sure, I'll just check with Adam," Aria said, liking that idea. "It would be fun".

"Do you guys just want to go in one big group?" Jennifer asked them as she eyed some tall sandy haired guy behind the checkout counter, before looking back at her friends. "The more people the better".

"Sounds like a plan," Hanna said with excitement, looking towards Aria for her answer. "What about you Aria? Sounds good to you?"

"Sounds even better," Aria said with a smile. "Now, can we please go get our yogurt? I'm starving".

They got up and made their way to the back wall to fill their cups with the kind of flavors they wanted, the frozen yogurt pouring out of the ice cream like dispensers. Aria got cheesecake, dreamy dark chocolate and vanilla bean, and cherry amaretto. Hanna got cherry limeade, rocky road and strawberry sensations, and French vanilla. Jennifer got chocolate mint, pumpkin pie and red velvet cupcake, and snickerdoodle cookie dough. Then they went to the topping bar to add on the different types of toppings that wanted. Aria had a hard time deciding on her toppings, settling for strawberries, almonds and rainbow sprinkles, M&M'S, jelly beans, and Ghirardelli caramel syrup. Jennifer picked bananas, blueberries and strawberries, grapes, cherries, and whipped cream. Hanna chose white chocolate chips, gummy bears and skittles, graham crackers, and Ghirardelli caramel syrup. They paid for their orders, and then they sat back down at their table to eat their yogurt. They chatted some more about random things and laughed.

Aria wished that she could remain with her friends all day, but she couldn't. It wasn't possible. She had to get to the fundraiser out school. She had to get to the car wash. She couldn't just put it off, or not show up. It was going to benefit the poetry club. She really did want to go to New Orleans. As much as Hanna and Jennifer begged her to come to the shopping mall with them, she declined their offer. There was a dull light in her eyes as she waved goodbye to her friends and got into her father's BMW. It wasn't a long drive to Rosewood high school; in fact, it was fairly quick as she drove around to the back of the school. Four members' of the poetry club were holding up signs as cars drove into the parking lot entrance to get their cars wash. She had to smile as she found an empty space and parked. So many people had shown up to get their cars washed. More members' were walking around handing out flyers. She looked around the parking lot to see if every club member was at their correct station. She was satisfied to see that some members were advertising actively with posters and flyers and friendly smiles, some were collecting money at the booth and working at the refreshment stand, some members were driving and cleaning out cars, and the other members' were washing cars.

She caught sight of Adam washing cars, so she made her way over towards him, taking a moment to admire his bare back. It was physically attractive. Well-formed and muscled in all the right places. It was her first time seeing him without a shirt on. She wasn't disappointed at all. She knew that his front would be just as appealing. She couldn't keep her eyes from checking out his firm ass in the shorts he was wearing as he bent down to wash the tires of a Ford truck. No, she was definitely not disappointed. The weather was so humid, that it was almost stifling. She was so glad for her bikini. Of course, if she had it her way, she would go completely nude.

"Guess who?" Aria said playfully as she snuck up behind Adam, her hands covering his eyes.

"Someone who's not my hot girlfriend," Adam said teasingly as he played along.

"Really," Aria said with a smirk, rubbing her breasts up against his back. He let out a groan. "I think I'm way hotter than your girlfriend. In fact, I bet she doesn't even make you groan like I just did".

As though to test her own theory, she rubbed her breasts against him again, smiling wickedly as he groaned again.

"Let me see if you're sexier than my girlfriend," Adam said as he stepped away from her, and then he turned around to face her, pulling her more than willing body to his as he wrapped his strong arms around. He smiled down into her face. "Nope, my girlfriend is still hotter".

"I don't think so," Aria said softly, before drawing him into a sensual kiss.

He kissed her back sweetly, before shoving his tongue into her open mouth. She moaned against his lips, relishing the feel of his tongue as she kissed him harder, deepening their kiss as she felt his hands gripping her tiny waist tighter. She wrapped her arms around his neck. His long fingers started to stroke the small of her back with feathery light motions as his tongue shoved in and out of her mouth, the brush of his fingers making it hard for her to breathe. She moaned again as his hands grasped her ass with possession. Her mouth moved against his as she mushed her body closer to his, needing to be closer to him still as her fingers ran through his hair. He suddenly drew back.

"What?" Aria asked breathlessly as she opened up her eyes to stare into his face, but he wasn't looking at her. He was looking over her head at something or someone. He looked angry. "What's wrong?"

"Mr. Fitz is looking over here at us," Adam said angrily, his beautiful green eyes flashing.

"What?" Aria asked again, her head turning in the direction that he was looking as her hands dangled around his neck.

Sure enough, Mr. Fitz was staring at them, his face a mask of indifference. She knew that she shouldn't, but she couldn't help the way that her eyes wandered over his gorgeous naked torso. To the width of his chest, to his muscular arms and hard male nipples, and to his taut stomach with the well-defined abs. She felt hot as she bit her bottom lip. What was wrong with her? It was like she had never seen him without a shirt before. She couldn't. She shook her head as she dragged her eyes away from his body to look back up into his face, feeling furious with herself. He had seen her. She turned her head back around to look at Adam.

"Don't look at him," Aria told him as her hands brought his face back to look at her. "He doesn't matter".

"What's his problem though? I don't understand why he hates me. I never did anything to the guy," Adam said as he vented his frustration to her. "I want to know what his deal is".

"I don't know," Aria lied as she stared into his eyes. She did know, but she wasn't going to tell him. "Let's just forget about him".

"I would if he stops looking over here at me like he wants to kill me," Adam said with bitterness directed at Mr. Fitz. "It's like he's jealous because I'm with you".

"That's crazy Adam," Aria said, trying to deflect his assumption. He was getting too close to the truth. "He's a teacher".

"I don't think so Aria," Adam argued, his eyes glancing back over at Mr. Fitz again. "Something's are starting to add up. It's like the guy likes you. Like he wants you all to himself".

"Now you're being ridiculous Adam," Aria said with irritation, wanting to sway him away from the truth. "He doesn't want me like that. I'm just his student for god sakes. He sees me as some young girl".

"Maybe I am being ridiculous, but I can't shake the feeling that he hates me because you're with me, Adam said, before blowing out a breath and shaking his head as he looked back into her eyes. "I need to go talk to him".

"No you don't," Aria said as she stopped him from breaking away from her. "Forget him, please".

"I can totally see why he'll be jealous over some guy that's with you Aria, you're so beautiful and so great," Adam said thickly as his hand cupped her cheek, before he kissed her again. "I just need to know why. I can find that out if I just talk with him".

"Does it matter why?" Aria asked short-winded, before drawing him into another kiss to stop his wondering.

"No," Adam said huskily against her lips.

"Then drop it," Aria said persuasively as she kissed him again, provocatively trailing kisses down his neck as her body brushed up against him. "I'm yours. No one else's".

She and Adam got started on washing more cars that rolled into the school's parking lot. She was having a great time working alongside Adam. They ended up having a water fight that involved wet sponges and a water hose as others joined in the fun. It must have been something in the atmosphere, because she couldn't stop watching Mr. Fitz as he drove cars and cleaned them out. She kept looking into his face, his eyes, and kept looking over his body. Watched as the sun glistened over his chest and abdomen. He too would look over her body slowly, making her breathe rapidly. His eyes would hold hers every time she looked into them. He wouldn't look away. She wouldn't look away. She felt something electrical going back and forth between them. It grew stronger and stronger as they continued to gaze into each other's eyes. His blue eyes were dark with lust. She knew that her own eyes reflected the same thing. He wanted her. She wanted him. She hated that she wanted to have sex with him. Hated that she still found him attractive. She pulled her eyes away from him, needing to get away before she did something that she would regret. She knew that they needed more towels to dry off the cars, so she headed inside the school.

Aria made it into the utility room. She had to calm her beating heart. She was so hot, she thought as she fanned herself. She needed to cool herself down, but the ache between her thighs wasn't subsiding. She ran a thoughtless hand through her long dark glossy hair, tossing the mass of hair over to her right shoulder. Perspiration broke out on her neck and chest, her breasts rising and falling. She was so filled with want. There was no way of controlling it. She was swollen and wet, feeling herself pulsate as the heat spreaded throughout her body. She tried with fail attempts to control her heavy breathing, but nothing she did seem to help. The throbbing grew with intensity and she moaned, wanting the ache to stop. She released a shaky breath, walking over to the shelves that housed the towels, her legs feeling like they were made out of jelly. She could barely stand upright. She tried squeezing her thighs, but that only added to the pressure and she moaned again. Her nipples were burning and tingling. She was so caught up in her sexual agony, that she didn't hear the utility door open and close behind her, until it was too late. She spun around, facing Mr. Fitz. He was the reason why she was feeling all hot and bothered. Did he know? She prayed that he didn't, but she had a suspicion that he did.

"What do you want?" Aria asked, hating how it came out in a whisper as she bit her bottom lip.

She watched as he walked over towards her, closing the gap between them. He was so close. It was getting to be too much. She couldn't move. All she could do was stare up into his gorgeous blue eyes, feeling dizzy. She couldn't fight whatever it was she was feeling. She didn't want to think about how he had hurt her. She didn't want to think about how he had left. She didn't want to think about being angry with him. She didn't want to think about hating him. She didn't want to think about who was causing her to feel this strong desire. She didn't want to think about how wrong it was. She wasn't thinking about the outcome. She didn't think about losing herself. She didn't think about Adam, or anyone else for that matter. She just wanted the ache to stop. She just wanted to feel… she didn't know what she wanted to feel. Everything was just so confusing.

"This," Ezra said gruffly, before his mouth clamped down on hers, kissing her with such force, causing her to wince in pain as he pulled her body closer to his.

She kissed him back as he prodded her mouth open with his tongue, taking what he wanted. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't think. She didn't want to think. Her mouth gave him the access that he hungered for, his tongue playing hide and seek with hers. His kisses were hot and consuming. She thought that she would die from the fire that ignited from her fingertips as she gripped his shoulders for support. She could no longer support her own weight. She thought he would swallow her tongue as he kissed her deeper, drawing out a deep moan from within her. One of his hands left the small of her back to trace her fine jaw line, his tongue fondling hers some more. It was pure torture. Her hands sketched out his back, feeling for the ridges, dents, and muscles that helped to make up his beautiful physique as he groaned into her open mouth. His skin was hot. Feverish. He pushed her back until her body was up against the wall, imprisoning her there with no ways of escape. She didn't want to escape or flee. She just wanted to savor every second of this. Her fingernails dug into his flesh as he sucked on her tongue. She grasped him tighter before moaning. Her stomach did crazy somersaults as his teeth scraped her bottom plump lip. She was falling even more down into the pits of euphoria.

He broke his mouth away from hers to kiss the corners of her mouth, then he kissed her chin and down the column of her neck, next he kissed her collarbone, then he kissed each of her shoulders, sucking on her delicate skin, tasting its saltiness, before moving his head down to kiss her chest and the tops of her swelling breasts. Her head fell back in ecstasy as she struggled to breathe, her mouth agape as puffs of air passed through. His hands went around her back as he skillfully untied the string to her bikini top, pulling it away from her body to expose her swollen breasts and taut nipples. His eyes feasted on her delectable breasts with its chocolate tips. He kissed imaginary circles around her left breast, before moving over to her right breast to do the same as her body quaked under his treatment. He cupped her left breast into his hand as he pinched and pulled it, and then he took the bud into his mouth, flickering and suckling it with his tongue as she gasped out, unable to keep quiet. Then he cupped her right breast, flickering and suckling the engorged nipple with vigor as she bucked against him, her body writhing in pleasure. He let go of the soggy nipple, placing an open mouthed kiss between the valley of her breasts, and then he went back to each of her erect nipples to nibble on them as they grew even more harder and extended into his mouth.

She gave a sharp intake of breath as he played tug of war with them, biting them with just the right amount of pressure. It was painful, yet pleasurable at the sametime. She got even wetter. She shuddered as he placed more open mouthed kissing down her front as he fell to his knees, his right hand massaging her right breast as the pad of his thumb fluttered over her sensitive peak repeatedly, before reaching over to perform the same action to her left breast. He placed hot open mouthed kisses down her flat stomach, laving her unblemished skin with his tongue as he ventured downward as she let out a breathless moan, her head thrashing from side to side from both assaults. He kissed her strawberry shaped birth mark, before licking it. Then he dipped his tongue into her navel, scoping out the area, his hand and thumb never stopping their manipulations. She fisted his velvety hair as her breath elevated a little higher. His mouth felt so good. She was starting to come undone from his simple kisses and warm caresses, her hand coming up to place it over his, as she squeezed his hand as well as her breast. She wanted to keep it there as soft gasps fell from her slightly parched lips. Her nerves were up in flames as she arched her body into his hold as his lips grew rough and rough. Both of his hands came down and unbuttoned and unzipped her snug shorts, pulling them down with her help as she stepped out of them as she bit down harder on her bottom lip again, causing it to split. She didn't care about the mild pain it brought as she tasted the metallic tang of blood in her mouth. She just stood in her bikini bottoms.

Her toes curled and her breasts tingled with sensation. He untied her right side string, before untying the left side sting, and then he dragged it slowly away from her curvaceous hips. He stared at the patch of hair between her legs. She hadn't shaved it. She wanted to go natural. She didn't feel the least bit self-conscious about it. It was sleek and the same color as the one on top of her head. He kissed the top of her scorching mound and she gasped with excitement, wanting him to touch the spot that ached the most. He lifted her right leg, kissing her creamy inner thigh as his lips sucked on her skin, and then he put that leg back down and moved to lift her left leg, kissing the soft inner thigh with cherishment, before sucking on it. His mouth was like a furnace, each kiss eliciting airy moans. She didn't have long to wait as he picked up her right leg again and put it over his shoulder, and then he used his fingers to part the puffy saturated folds of her pussy. She shuddered again as his fingertip grazed over her enlarged pink clitoris, her cum coating his finger thoroughly as she let out a throaty growl, before crying out as he rubbed the hypersensitive bump repetitively. Her head went back against the wall as her eyes closed, her hands gripping the wall behind her as she steadied herself, trying to keep herself from jumping out her skin with each stimulation.

Then his mouth was on her. Inside her heated palpitating walls. Every lick, every kiss and suck, bolts of unimaginable pleasure, push and pull, every flick, flutter and nip, and graze of his teeth caused the fire to build even more inside of her as she moaned and gasped. The feeling was greater than the last two times. Every part of her body screamed from the strain. His tongue pushed up into her narrow canal, making her scream over and over as he jetted in and out of her as she rotated her hips shamelessly and clawed the wall. She didn't care or feel ashamed about begging for more as his tongue sped up its licking up against her clit, before sucking on it firmly, sinking his teeth into the tissue like flesh. She nearly exploded as her breath hitched, his hands grabbing onto her ass cheeks as he stilled her movements, kneading her ass as he worked his tongue. She was so close. She was on the edge. She could feel the jolts of sensation building towards her impending release. She wanted this. She wanted this so bad. She needed him to give her this. Her inner muscle walls started to constrict around his moving tongue, clenching more and more as she felt the first burst of her eruption as stars obscured her vision, her body convulsing. Faster and faster he pumped his tongue in and out of her as she climaxed again, feeling as spasm after spasm took hold of her body as she climaxed explosively again, her juices filling his mouth. He kept on moving his tongue, creating more friction as she orgasmed once more, her own screams deafening her. She couldn't quite catch her breath as more sparks of rapture overtook her. She felt weak and tried, her body drained of all energy.

He kissed his way back up her body, stopping to lick her nipples, and then he found her mouth. She tasted herself on him. It was so intoxicating. The smell. The taste. She broke her lips away from his as she kissed and sucked on his left earlobe, then she moved to kiss and suck on his left earlobe, next she kissed down his neck and his chest, teasing his hard male nipples with her tongue as he groaned, before running her hands down his well-defined abs, and then she ran her fingers up and down his ribcage as he trembled from her touch. She wanted more. She wanted to touch more of him as the ache between her thighs started back up again. She couldn't help the way her body demanded more. He was such a beautiful man. His breathing was getting harsher and harsher as her hands moved downward towards the dark pubic hair that continued down into his shorts. She avoided his eyes. She couldn't look at him. If she did, she was scared that she would stop. Afraid that she wouldn't be able to continue on. She pulled down his shorts, letting him step out of them, before running her hands over his tight buttocks as she dugged her fingernails into them. He grunted in pain, bracing a hand up against her face. She moved her hands towards his front, taking him into her hands, remembering the weight and shape of him. How he had felt inside of her mouth. The salty taste of his cum when she had swallowed it. He was larger than life as she felt him throbbing as she began to stroke him, feeling him swell more and more. His cock felt hot and smooth.

She jerked on his length again and again, feeling as the stickiness of his cum poured out, before she looked up into his face. His eyes were closed. His face was contorted up in concentration. Loud deep guttural groans emitted from him as they filled the room. A line of sweat broke out on his brows. His mouth was set in a tight line. She didn't know why, but she kissed his mouth, his eyes snapping open as he glared into her face. She could see that he needed her. Could feel that he needed her. She needed him too. She could feel her heart trembling. Her hands moved back up his body to wrap around his neck. She couldn't wait anymore. She was so scared. Not because of fear, but because she didn't want to feel this way. She didn't want to want him. As though he could read her uneasiness, he kissed her long and lingeringly. She felt something different, but she didn't want to dwell on it as she kissed him back. It just felt good. She could tell by his facial expression that he felt it too. He pulled back, shock mirroring his face, before confirmation set in. He used his knees to separate her thighs as he nuzzled into between them. She cried out as she felt the head of his cock brush across her dripping labia.

"Aria, still tight" Mr. Fitz rasped out as he thrusted into her fully, feeling her warmth enveloping him.

He was happy to be inside of her again, feeling how tight she was.

"Oh god," Aria moaned out as she squeezed her walls around him.

It had been a long time. For her, and for him. She didn't know why she thought that. She just did. She was so tense. She had forgotten how big he was.

"Relax,"Mr. Fitz hissed against her lips, his forehead resting on hers, allowing her enough time to readjust to his size. "I won't be able to move if you don't relax yourself".

She nodded her head, feeling him starting to move inside of her. She relaxed her muscles, hearing as he groaned his approval. She gripped his neck tighter, lifting herself up as she wrapped both of legs around his waist, impelling him deeper inside of her. She moaned and he groaned into each other's mouths as their bodies fused together. He felt so good. This felt so good. She moved up and down on him, as he thrusted into her, pushing her back against the wall as they moved together rhythmically as he gripped her hips, before his hands fell away to cup her ass. The pace wasn't too slow, or too fast. It was the perfect tempo as she bit her bottom lip that was bruised. She thrusted her hips downward as he pushed back, forcing her even more against the wall. She knew that her back would be black and blue tomorrow. She didn't want to look at him. He would know. She didn't want to read the truth in his eyes. She didn't want to see the all-knowing look reflected there. She tried to look away. She tried to look anywhere else but into his eyes, but he didn't let her. It was as though he wanted her to see who she was having sex with. It wasn't Adam, or some random guy. It was him. He was penetrating her.

He pulled out completely, before lunging right back inside of her as she screamed, feeling herself being stretched beyond the normal limitation. There was pain, but it wasn't too bad. It was just a slight discomfort. He went deeper and deeper as he slid in and out of her as she went up and down, her hands increasing their hold on him as he groaned low. She moaned as she savored the feel of him moving inside of her clammy walls. It was as though he knew her body's sexual desires as he pushed her back and back, choke moans spilling from her lips. She compressed her walls around him for a second time as he pushed harder, pumping into her with controlled thrusts after the other. She could only hear the harshness of their breathing mingled with their moans and groans as their bodies moved tempestuously together without any plans of relinquishing. She circulated her hips, grinding her tight pussy down onto his quivering cock as she felt her body starting to stiffen as their tongues wrestled for dominance. His fingers bit into her ass as he slammed her towards him, only to shove her right back, her high-pitched shouts drowning them both as their minds whirled in ecstasy. He reached a hand up to grab onto the back of her neck, his hips thrusting up into her harder and faster than before. Her dark hair billowing down to cover their faces like a sheet as she pushed downward, and then she plunged downwards once more, her small cries turning into louder ones.

Aria felt the muscles flexing in his back as he forced her back against the wall. Again and again, his strangled groans over flooding her ears. She was just so hot and so slippery wet, inhaling their body fluids and sweat as the smell of their sexing filled the atmosphere. It got her even hornier. As his other hand held her neck, the left one found her right breast. He pinched the tumid nipple, then thrusted and pinched again, and then he thrusted, the odd combination causing a ripple to go through her as she clenched around his large protruding cock. The impulse to have him to just plainly fuck her took over as she got more aggressive with him as she rocked her hips hypnotically, making him groan and groan, before slamming his hand up against the wall as he propelled into her roughly. Over and over as she took every inch of him. She didn't want him to make love to her. She just wanted him to fuck her harder and faster. She wanted him to fuck her until she was sore. To fuck her until her body couldn't stand his touch. She needed the never ending ache to cease.

She felt herself contracting around him hard as she felt him pulsating inside of her, getting ready to come. She wasn't too far behind him as her inner walls squeezed him again, and again, and again. Her movements grew more erratically as he continued to thrust up into her, hitting her clitoris as she bounced up and down. She bit her upper lip as a white hot sensation shot down her spinal cord, making her gasp out as she stiffen, feeling as his hot release spilt out inside of her as she moaned. He never stopped thrusting into her as she finally shattered with multiple orgasms, screaming uncontrollably as her walls clamped down as he grunted, before he came inside of her again. She was trying to catch her breath as she toppled over the edge again, feeling as he pumped up into her three more times, before he released his cum inside of her for a third time.

"Oh …Ezra…Ezra!" Aria yelled out as she climaxed around him for the last time, her body slumping against him as she buried her face into his sweaty chest as she felt the beating of his racing heart.

She was just coming down from her high, when the door to the utility room opened unexpectantly. She felt Mr. Fitz's body go rigid. They were caught. There was an awkward silence, before the very familiar voice spoke. Her heart plummeted. She knew that he couldn't possibly see her, because Mr. Fitz's body was facing the door, blocking her smaller form from being visibly seen. But she wasn't for sure. She panicked.

"I'm sorry… I was…I…I… I was looking for my girlfriend," Adam said with an uncomfortable voice, before closing the door back and leaving.

"He didn't see you," Mr. Fitz whispered into her hair, his voice slightly hoarse.

She pushed him away from her. He staggered back caught off guard. She didn't want him touching her. She didn't even want to touch him. What was wrong with her? What had she done? Had she lost her mind? How could she have been so stupid? She was supposed to be angry with him. He had left. He had used her. He had hurt her. She wasn't supposed to sleep with him again. Why had she slept with him? Because you had an itch that needed to be scratched, a voice said in her head. You wanted him, the voice said again. She didn't want him. She was sure of that. She hated him. She despised him more than ever. She couldn't believe that she had no control over her own body. It had betrayed her. Had failed her. She couldn't stand the sight of him. She had to get away from him. This was all his fault. He was to blame. He had made her want him. He had searched her out. It wasn't the other way around. She didn't come looking for him. Why didn't she tell him no? Why didn't she stop him? Why didn't she shove him away? Why didn't she fight the sexual pull towards him? She had been weak, but it wouldn't happen again. She was damn sure of that. She had to get out of there. She couldn't breathe. She was suffocating. She couldn't think.

Aria was conscious of Mr. Fitz's eyes on her, but she didn't look at him as she gathered up her discarded clothing with shaky hands, starting to put them back on with much effort. She could feel the tears threatening to spill over. She didn't know that she was crying until she felt the stinging tears on her lips. Why was she crying? She ran frustrating hands through her hair, shifting the hair to the left side of her face. Huge gulps of air escaped her mouth as she tried to make less noise. Try as she might, she couldn't hold them back. She didn't want him to see that she was crying. She didn't want him to hear her. But, he had heard. He saw her tears coursing down her pale cheeks. He made to approach her, but she held him off with a look of hatred and a hand warding him off. She wanted him to keep his distant. She didn't want him anywhere near her. She didn't want to feel any part of him. He was the reason why this happened. He was the reason why she had betrayed Adam in such a vile away. She was going to be sick. She felt herself threatening to throw up as she cradled her stomach. How could she have done this to him? He had been good to her. She cared about him. She wanted him. Loved him. The word felt dirty in her mouth. She felt dirty. She tried to block out his semen that trickled down her legs. Tried to ignore the gummy substance that covered her inner thighs. She felt disgusted with herself. How was she going to face him after this? How was she going to tell him? He had almost caught her. Maybe he should have, she thought bitterly. She started to cry hysterically, gut-wrenching sobs raking her body. She never intended to hurt him. She never planned to destroy his trust. She hated herself. She regretted sleeping with Mr. Fitz.

She retied her bikini top with unsteady hands, and then she ran another hand through her hair, pulling the satiny locks neglectfully as her scalp burned from the brutal mistreatment. She wanted to erase the last hours she spent with him. She chewed on her sore bottom lip as she folded her hands across her heaving breasts, fighting to control her emotions, but it was no use as she cried harder. She felt sick again. She just couldn't stop thinking about Adam's reaction when she told him. She had a strong feeling that it would be the end of their relationship. She didn't want that. She didn't want to lose him over something that was so meaningless. The sex with Mr. Fitz had meant nothing to her. She couldn't lie to him. She didn't want to. She wanted to be honest with him. For the first time, she cared about what a guy thought about her. She didn't want him to think badly of her. She had made a mistake. What she felt for him was real. She had never given him any reason to think that she had misled him, until now. Her body did what it wanted. She came to a quick realization that her mind was with Adam, but her body was with Mr. Fitz. She didn't even know if that made any sense. She double knotted both of her side strings to her bikini bottoms, before wiggling into her tight fitted shorts, and then she slipped on her flip flops again.

The urge to vomit grew as she swallowed back the puke that had started to rise up in her throat, clamping a hand over her mouth. She felt him everywhere. She wanted to scrub herself clean. The desperate need to wash him off of her fueled her need to get cleansed faster. She wanted to remove the shame she felt. She felt him on her body, on her lips, and inside of her. When she felt like she wasn't going to lose her stomach contents, she looked up into Mr. Fitz face. Her eyes were cold and angry as they pierced his. He was trying to read her thoughts. She saw that he had put his shorts back on. His hair ruffled from her running her fingers through it. She knew that he wanted to come towards her. That he wanted to comfort her, but he also knew that she would reject him. She hated how he openly stared at her. His eyes forever roaming over her. The parts he had touched and kissed. She didn't want to look at him anymore. She didn't even want to look at herself as her feet carried her over to the door. She didn't even recognize herself. She didn't look back at him as she left out the door, but she felt his eyes.

**Didn't see that coming, did you? ;) Please review! I loved, loved this chapter. I hope you did too. I told you guys that I was going to have this chapter up this month. Thanks to my loyal followers and my newer ones. You guys are the reason I write. You give me inspiration to continue. And I'm going to be very busy in the upcoming weeks, so it's going to be a while for the next update.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

**Ezra POV**

Ezra let himself into his condominium, before throwing his car keys and shoulder bag down onto the granite countertop as he moved into his apartment. He untied his tie, then he unbuttoned his collar and both of his wrists, and then he rolled up both of his sleeves to his elbows, before walking into his kitchen. He was trying to get comfortable as possible. To be able to move freely. His clothes had him much too restricted. He needed a drink, he thought as he headed over to his liquor cabinet. The thought of getting alcohol into his system had his body humming. It had been a long day. He was tired. He could barely walk a straight line. The stress of having to prepare his students for the English part of the exams and the tense situation with Aria was taking an unhealthy toll on his body. He knew that it wasn't good, but he didn't care as long as it didn't have any effect on his appearance. It was like he couldn't fully function if he didn't have a drink or two. He knew that it wasn't a smart move to develop a dependency on booze. He couldn't keep indulging in it as a coping mechanism for his own personal hell. He told himself for the trillionth time that this would be his last drink as he reached for a tumbler in one of his top cupboards above his head, then he reached down into his kitchen drawer to take out his corkscrew, and then he bent down to take out the 1990 bottle of Scotch whisky from out his cabinet. He poured some into his glass, before he chucked it back, hissing as a burning sensation engulfed his throat. It was good as the cool concoction trickled down the back of his throat, making its way to his belly to reside there. He poured himself another glass, not being frugal with the hefty amount. He drank it all the way down, not being wasteful. The Scotch had been way too expensive.

He placed the shot glass down on the countertop along with the bottle of Whisky, leaning his hip against it, his mind reflecting back to watching Aria and Adam in the school parking lot on the day of the car wash. He hadn't been able to help himself as he watched as they had displayed affections upon one another. He had hated it. It had angered him. He hated seeing Aria kissing him. Hated seeing Adam kissing her. They had been way into it. Aria's body had been way too close to Adam's. Adam's hands had been all over her, grabbing her ass as though it had belonged to him. As though it was his possession. That had angered him greatly to see him touching her in such a sleazy way. It had angered him more so, because Aria didn't seem to mind. She had looked like she was enjoying it. Like it had been the greatest feeling in the world. He didn't like how their mouths had been glued together as they had come that way. It had been so hard for him to witness another intimate moment with them. He had told himself to look away. To look elsewhere, but he couldn't seem to do it. It was like he was punishing himself. He was only glad for the distance between himself and them across the parking lot. He hadn't wanted to hear any sounds from them. He hated how her arms had wrapped around Adam's neck. He hated how she had run her fingers through his hair as though it was treasured gold. Hated how Adam had grabbed her body closer to his. Hated seeing how she had rubbed her body up against him. Hated how Adam had responded to her. It had taken everything in his power to remain where he was. There was nothing he could do. All he could do was watch as his frown had deepened, his fists clenching and unclenching at his sides.

He hadn't cared that Adam had caught him staring as he had glared back at him, or cared that Aria had also caught him. His face had been impassive. They hadn't known what he had been thinking. He hadn't cared that Adam was seemingly angry at having caught him watching them. They had,had another staring match, neither of them looking away until Aria pulled his head back towards her face. It didn't take a genius to figure out that the boy was still furious over Ezra interrupting them at prom. He could tell they had been discussing him with Adam's glances back and forth to him, and then he would look back to Aria again. He wondered what they were saying. Wondered what Aria was telling him. Wondered what Adam was telling her in return. Whatever he said to her wasn't good. A blind man could see that. Whatever he said to Aria was giving her pause. It was like she had to thwart his allegations with any means necessary. What had he said to her to have her so shook? He had read it in her posture. In her facial expressions. Could it have been about his own behavior regarding them? His overreaction at catching them at prom? Was he starting to put some pieces together about Aria and him? Was he that obvious in his jealousy? Aria had said as much. He had to be more careful. Adam couldn't ever find out what happened between him and Aria. It would cause him to lose his job and get into trouble with the law and Aria's reputation would be ruined. He wouldn't see her go through that. He had to be more in control of his emotions when he saw them together. He had to. For his sake, and Aria's.

And it didn't go unnoticed to him that Aria had stared over his body. At first he couldn't believe it, but she had been. He could literally feel her calescent gaze as her eyes had roamed over his bare chest, then to his well-built arms and flat male nipples, and then to his taut stomach with his well-defined abs as she had bit on her bottom lip so enticingly. Her gorgeous set of pearly white teeth piercing into her succulent flesh. She had looked at him like she had never seen him without a shirt. Like he was descended from the Greek god Apollo. He had wondered what she had thought. Was he still desirable to her? Did she still think him beautiful? Her words, not his. He could tell from her face that both questions had been a definite yes.

He still couldn't stop thinking about him and Aria having sex in the school's utility room. They had desecrated it. He had known better. He had preached to Adam about not being able to engage in any sexual actives while still on school premises, but yet he had done it. Had done it without hesitation. Without thought of the massive consequences if they were caught. If they were discovered. But being caught had never entered his mind. As far as he knew, everyone from the poetry club had been outside. Sex between them had never been more intense. Powerful. Angsty. He couldn't get what they had done out of his head. He still wondered if it had been real. The images kept traversing through his head. Images of him. Of her. Of them together. His mind just wouldn't be quiet. It couldn't be silenced. It didn't want to. The way that he had kissed her. The way that she had responded back to his kisses had thrilled him. The way that his tongue had divulged into her mouth as he had kissed her deeper, drawing out moans from her sweet little mouth. The way that her hands had gripped his shoulders for support, needing him to be her rock of stability. The feel of wanting to swallow her tongue whole as he kisses got even deeper and consuming. The way that his tongue had played with hers. Had fondled hers, playing a game of cat and mouse as their tongues fought for control. Fought for dominance. He had never felt more alive. He had been a ticking time bomb. The way that his hand a traced out her fine jaw line like she was a work of art he wanted to study. To understand. How her hands had in return sketched out his back, feeling for the muscles that helped to shape his back, the ridges, bones, and dents. It had been unimaginable torture being under her microscope of exploration as he had groaned. All he had wanted to do was skip the foreplay, but his mind had other plans. He had wanted to take his time with her. To cherish her. To reacquaint himself back with her body.

The way that his body had trapped hers up against the wall, imprisoning her there. He didn't want her escaping. To run away from what was happening between them. But, she hadn't wanted to escape or flee. She had felt hot. Had felt feverish. He had felt hot and feverish. Their bodies had been going up in temperature. The way that her fingers had dug into his skin as he had sucked on her tongue. How his teeth had scraped her full bottom lip. She had loved it, grasping him tighter and moaning into his mouth. The way that his mouth had broken away from hers to kiss the corners of mouth, then her chin and the beautiful structure of her neck, then he had kissed her collarbone, then he had kissed each of her pale shoulders, sucking on her delicate skin as he had tasted the saltiness of her flesh, savoring it as she moaned and quavered underneath him. Then his head had descended down to kiss the tops of her swollen full breasts, her head going back in absolute pleasure as gasps of air passed between her honeyed lips. The way that his eyes had eyed her exposed luscious breasts with her taut dark lips, before kissing imaginary circles around both of her breasts as her body quaked. The way that each of his hands had cupped each of her breasts, pulling and pinching it as she gasped out from his treatment of them. More puffs of air escaping her agape mouth as whispery moans filled his ears. The way that his mouth had feasted on her engorged nipples vigorously as she had bucked against him. How he had flickered and suckled them, her body writhing in ecstasy as he had sucked and flickered again and again. How he had placed open mouthed kisses down the valley between her breasts, hearing as she struggled to breathe, before he had nibbled on each of her erect nipples as they had extended into his open mouth like invitation.

The way that she had sucked in a harsh breath as he had played tug and war with her nipples, before biting them. The way that he had placed more open mouthed kisses down her body, before dropping to his knees in front of her, his hands reaching up to massage her breasts as his thumbs had fluttered her peaks repeatedly. His hot mouth kissing her flat stomach, before kissing her strawberry shaped birth mark, his saliva laving her flawless skin as her head had thrashed back and forth and side to side. She had tasted so good. Had tasted better than before. She had tasted just like he had remembered. He had smelt the flowery scent as it had lingered on her, getting more aroused by her. The way that his tongue had licked around her navel, before plunging into it as his hands had kept on massaging her breasts and toying with her nipples. The strong grip of her hands as they had found their way into his hair, hearing has her breath had elevated higher. The way that his mouth had ventured down lower, placing watery kisses and flickering his tongue on his trek downward. The way that he had stared at the patch of unwaxed satiny dark hair between her thighs. It had looked so appetizing. His mouth had watered. He hadn't care that she hadn't shaved. He had known that she hadn't cared either. He had liked that she had gone natural. That she wasn't the least bit self- conscious. He had been aching to touch her. To taste her again. To feel his tongue sliding up into her wet palpitating walls. He had anticipated it.

How he had placed a kiss upon her mound. It had been so thermogenic as she had gasped out in excitement, thinking that he would burn his mouth. She had wiggled impatiently, wanting him to touch the very place that was causing her to ache the most. How he had lifted both of her legs to plant kisses, lick, and to suck on her oily inner thighs hungrily. Then his fingers had parted her inflated moist pussy lips as she had cried out, his finger grazing over the pinkish enlarged clitoris tirelessly. She had shuddered, her milky white cum dousing his finger utterly. The strong urge to suck and lick his finger had been great. Then his mouth had been inside of her as he had brought her to even greater lengths of pleasure and heights. He had licked her, then sucked and thrusted his tongue up inside of her narrow canal as she had bucked against him again, had fluttered and flicked his tongue over and over again, pushing and pulling on her ever growing clit as she had got even wetter, and then he had nibbled and grazed her with his teeth as she had moaned and groaned and screamed as his tongue had kept on moving inside of her, driving her body to the brink. How she had shamelessly rotated her hips against his jetting tongue, causing more friction and making it more pleasurable. How he had moved his tongue faster and deeper, needing her to topple over the edge as she had begged for release. He hadn't had long to wait as her juices had gushed into his awaiting mouth, pumping his tongue up into her until her body had stopped its convulsing.

His erection had been painful as he had kissed his way back up her body, trailing her cum up to her mouth as he kissed her. He had wanted her to taste herself. To smell her intoxicating scent. The way she had touched him. Teased him with her mouth, tongue, and hands, before her hands had journeyed down to his buttocks, and then her hands had went around to his front to stroke his throbbing cock. Her hands had never felt so good on him as his cock had swelled more and more. How loud guttural sounds had emitted from out of his throat as she had kept on jerking him, feeling as his pre-cum exuded out. Then she had kissed him, drawing his eyes to hers. He couldn't have told her in some many words without speaking how much he had needed her. His eyes had burned into hers. He couldn't wait. She couldn't wait. He had read the uneasiness in her big beautiful eyes as she had stared back into his eyes, kissing her long and lingering to quench her fears as her arms had went around his neck and her legs had wrapped around his waist. He hadn't been inside of her yet, but he had felt how scorching hot she was as the head of his cock had brushed up against her saturated lips. The feel of complete bliss that had washed over him as he had thrusted into her, feeling her warmth encasing him, drenching him in her wetness. She had been tight. So incredibly tight. It had been hard for him to move as her walls had squeezed him, hearing as she had moaned out. She had been so tense. Almost too tense. There was no way she had slept with Adam. She had lied to him. He had told her to relax as he had given her enough time to adjust to his size. The deep groan he had expelled as she had relaxed her inner muscles to allow him to start thrusting inside of her. He had wanted to stay buried inside of her.

The way he had plunged in and out of her as she had moved along with him, impelling herself deeper on him as they both had set their tempo. Their pace hadn't been too slow or too fast. It had been just right. The way she had moved herself up and down on him as he had thrusted into her, pushing her back against the wall. The way that she had constricted her walls around him even more as he had pushed harder inside of her, both of them moaning and groaning as their harsh breathing filled the room as they had moved together. He had pounded into her as she had circulated her hips, their tongues doing battle as they had kissed each other. He hadn't been able to stop. She hadn't been able to stop her movements. The way that he had cupped her smooth ass in his hands as he had slammed her towards him, filling her up. Again and again with his massive erection. She had tried to look away from him, but he hadn't let her. He had wanted her to see who was causing her to feel this way. To see who she was having sex with. He had needed her to know that he was the one penetrating her. Not Adam.

How he had pulled out of her, before he had thrusted right back into her as she had screamed out, stretching her even more. He had gone deeper and deeper inside of her as he had slid in and out of her, relishing in the feel of her tightening her grip on him. The way that he had grabbed the back of her neck to give himself more leverage as he had pumped faster and harder into her as her gorgeous dark long hair had covered their faces, filling his nose with the most wonderful fragrance. How he had pounded her even harder as she had gotten more aggressive with him, propelling into her roughly again and again, his hand bracing up against the wall beside her head for support as he continued to go deeper inside of her, fucking her harder. How she had rocked her hips against him, making him groan as he had thrusted into her, feeling as she had got wetter and wetter as high-pitched screams had tore from out of her mouth as she had jounced up and down on him erratically. The way that he had felt her as her inner walls had contracted around him for the millionth time as he had pulsated inside of her as he got ready to come. The feel of pleasure that had coursed through his whole body when he had first came inside of her. The joyous feeling of having her orgasm again and again around him as her body trembled. The way that he had come inside of her for a second time as more spasms took hold of her. The way that she had clamped down on his protruding cock for the last time, making him come inside of her for a third time as he had lost control of his thrusts. The way that she had climaxed around him for the last time as she had shouted out his name brokenly. Not once, but twice. His name had never sounded so good coming from out of her mouth. The way that she had screamed it out in pure ecstasy.

Ezra shook his head hard, bringing himself form out of his thoughts as he grabbed his shot glass and pushed off from the counter. He had followed her because he had wanted her. And he had seen that she had wanted him. His hand lifted up as though he wanted to pour himself another drink, but it fell back down to his side. He had already had more than his own share of alcohol in one afternoon. Besides, he had more book reports to grade. He couldn't do them if he was passed out on his bed or drunk. He pushed the tall bottle away as though it was the root of all evil. He thought back to his reasons for sleeping with Aria that Saturday. It hadn't been a complicated thing. It hadn't been conflicting for him at all. It had been the first time he had been so sure about anything. He never once doubted himself. His decision. He had just wanted to show her that she wasn't as immune to him as she thought. That she couldn't just pretend like something wasn't between them. She couldn't act like they never had sex more than once. Couldn't pretend like they didn't have an attraction to one another. Couldn't deny the intense draw that was between them. That she at least thought about him once or twice a day. That she couldn't stop thinking about him, or how he made her feel. Couldn't forget about his touch. About having him inside of her. But, most importantly, she couldn't ignore the dangerous, raw, and unexplainable chemistry that they shared. Her eyes and mouth could lie, but her body couldn't. No more than his body could.

But all that had backfired. His whole plan had gone up in smoke after seeing her hysterical reaction afterwards. The self-hate, her anger and hate towards him, and the disgust she felt. She couldn't stand to look at him, to have him come near her, or to have him touch her. He had read the blame in her eyes. She blamed him for what they had done. She also had blamed herself. He also had read the confusion in her eyes like she couldn't just believe what she had done. What he had made her do, but he hadn't made her do anything. They both had acted on their emotions together. They both had given in to what they truly had wanted. It hadn't been a one-sided thing. It was like she had been in a state of shock. He never wanted to be so useless again. He should have gone to her still. Wish he could have comforted her like he had wanted to, but he knew that she would have only hated him more. Knew that she would have only fought hard against him. He thought he had been trying to prove a point to her, but instead he had hurt her. Had caused her pain. But didn't he want her to question herself? To see the truth? At what cost though? Seeing her cry had killed him. She had never looked more broken. He had never meant for her to cry. For that, he had been selfish. He hadn't seen the harm it could do. He had wanted to rip out his own heart to get those tears to stop from cascading down her ivory cheeks.

He shook his again, wanting to get the image of her crying out of his mind. He couldn't believe that Adam had walked in on them. He knew that was part of the reason why Aria had been so upset. He couldn't believe that he hadn't thought to lock the door. A mistake he would have regretted if the boy had recognized him or Aria. He had made sure that his body had shielded her from his view. He hadn't care about the boy seeing him, but he did care if Adam would have identified Aria. He had made sure that he had his back towards him. He had made sure not to turn his head. He had felt the growing panic in Aria's body as she had buried her face deeper into his chest, her fingernails clawing at him as they had gripped him. He had held her to him tight, trying to convey some type of reassurance that everything would be okay. That Adam would never know it was her. He had known from the boy's voice that he was embarrassed at having caught them. He had also known from the boy's voice that he wouldn't have entered the room further. That he had wanted to leave as soon as he had caught them. Time had never ticked by so slowly. He remembered releasing a breath of air as the door had closed back again. He would definitely make sure that it would never happen again. He never wanted to get caught in a situation like that again. He knew that next time they would not have been so lucky. It was good that he had been the only teacher there.

Ezra was fairly certain that he had feelings for Aria. He ran a hand through his hair, coming to grasp with what he felt. He wasn't confused anymore. He didn't have to sort through his emotions anymore. He was conscious of what he felt for her. He felt what he felt, and he wasn't going to be made to feel guilty about it. He wasn't going to hide from the truth or try to deny it. He was aware of how the circumstances looked. He wasn't proud of his feelings, but he had accepted them. He wasn't going to make it harder on himself by condoning the way he felt. Although, it was wrong, it wasn't a crime. He couldn't help the way that he felt about her. Countless of times he had been his own worse critic. If he could turn off the switch then he would, but he couldn't. It wasn't that black and white. He wasn't going to deem himself as the bad guy either.

He dropped his glass down on the countertop, then he went to go pick up his discarded shoulder bag, and then he went to go sit down at his kitchen table, getting ready to mark the last of his book reports. If he hadn't been so busy, then he would have been had them graded and handed back to their proper owners. He rifled through the contents of his leather shoulder bag, pulling out a stack of nearly forgotten book reports as he unclipped them. His mind went back to Aria. When he had kissed her, he had felt this suffocating sensation that had paralyzed his whole body. The force of it had even shocked him. He could tell by Aria's face that she had felt it too. That reaction couldn't have been faked. He had never felt anything like it. Coupled with the fact that she hadn't pushed him away, his feelings were decided for him. He had known in that instant what he had felt for her.

He spent the next few hours grading book reports, ignoring his cramping hand and tired eyes as he pushed himself to complete them. He knew that this was the only spare time that he had to get them done. He soon was skimming and grading both of Aria's book reports. She hadn't made the same mistakes that a lot of her peers had. She truly was a remarkable and intelligent person. She had mastered all the questions he had wanted answered. He loved her insight on both of the books as well as how she had worded it. He could actually feel her emotions as he read through her lengthy paragraphs'. She ensnared the reader as she expressed her opinions. She made you care about both fictional novels. She undeniably deserved the high marks that he had given her as well as the comments he had left. He mauled over her reports some more, before ultimately shoving them aside to grade the rest of the book reports in front of him.

Ezra thought of the poetry club. The car wash that the poetry club had sponsored had done really well. They had made a substantial amount of money. They were well on their way to visiting New Orleans. They just needed to have two more fundraisers'. He already had one in mind with the consent of the other poetry club members'. He had already gone over the many specifics with them to get their approval. They were going to be holding a raffle ticket fundraiser. He knew that selling a lot of tickets would profit them a lot of money, and he also knew that people would be more inclined to buy them if they were under the impression that they would have high chances at winning either one of the three main prizes. He knew without a doubt that he would definitely take his chances. All three main prizes were large sums of money.

He put the graded book reports back into his shoulder bag, and then he massaged his neck, getting the crick out. A sudden thought gripped him. He cursed inwardly. He shook his head at the impossibility. It couldn't be true. He couldn't have been so careless to have forgotten again. He cursed again, but this time out loud. There was a strong possibility. He willed his mind to remember. To think. He begged his mind to remember as he collected all his thoughts. How was it he could so vividly remember being inside her, but he couldn't remember if he had used a condom or not? He roamed through his mind once more, the feeling of dread ceasing him as the truth was made clear. He swore for a third time at his own stupidity. He couldn't believe that him and Aria had unprotected sex for a second time.

He thought about the consequences of him coming inside of her three times. This time was different from the first time. The first time he had pulled out. The second time hadn't really count because he had worn a condom. But this time his semen had gone into her. He had come hard all three times. He knew that the both of them were cleared of any diseases', but the sour taste of her being pregnant lingered like a bad afterthought. He didn't want that for her, or for himself. She was still pretty young, and a baby didn't fit into any of his future plans. Was she on any form of birth control? He couldn't recall. They had never really talked about safe sex. Had she taken the morning after pill? Was she late? Was it still too early to tell? Was she nauseous?Was she vomiting yet? What were the other symptoms of pregnancy? He was afraid that was all the knowledge he had on the matter. If though he was well educated, he couldn't claim to know all the happenings of the female anatomy. Would she tell him if she was pregnant? He would think that she would, but he didn't know with Aria. She wanted nothing to do with him. Would she be able to come around for the sake of their child? His child? Would she come to him if she had her suspicions? Would she consult with him if she was? Would she get rid of it without telling him if she was? Did his opinion even matter? He knew that eventually it would be her choice, but he did have some type of say in what happens to their child. Would she include him if she decided to keep it? Would she even want any small part of him growing inside of her? Would she be able to handle it? Would she be able to love him or her if she hated him? The child would also be a part of her. Could she really hate half of herself? Their child would be innocent. It shouldn't have to pay for their sins. It would be best if she wasn't pregnant. He wouldn't want her life to be ruined. He wouldn't want to bring an unwanted child into the world.

He got up to go put his shoulder bag into his office, and then he headed back to the kitchen to prepare his dinner. He didn't want to make anything too time consuming. He put a pan of baby back ribs, a dish of macaroni and cheese and a corn pudding into the oven, before heading off to his bedroom to take a quick shower. He hopped out of the shower, and then he dried himself off, before wandering back into his bedroom. He stepped into a pair of loose fitted jeans, and then he pulled a shirt over his head, before he headed back into the kitchen bare foot. He waited idly by as his food cooked, checking on each dish occasionally. The pleasing aroma filled the air and tickled his nose. He knew that the ribs and macaroni and cheese would turn out fine, but he wasn't so confident about the corn pudding. It was his first attempt at making it. He stomach grumbled as he peeked into the oven again. He still had some time before his food got done. He walked over to the refrigerator and took out a bottle of mineral water, before going back over to stand beside the stove.

Ezra took his food out of the oven, and then he set it down on top of the stove, hearing a knock at his door. His face screwed up in confusion. He wasn't expecting anyone. Not that he knew if anyway. And he knew that Reed would call before dropping by. His family would e-mail him before making surprise visits. He went to go answer his door, picking up the pace as another knock sounded out. He wondered who it could be. His curiosity was assuaged as he yanked the door back, his mouth dropping in apparent shock at seeing who it was. It was Aria. After almost another whole week of avoidance, she had come to him. He wasn't for sure if he was supposed to be happy or apprehensive about it. He didn't know what to expect. One look at her face told its own story. She looked reluctant. She didn't want to be there with him. Then why had she even come? He asked himself. He took a moment to let his eyes run over her. His breath hitched. She was even more beautiful than before. He blinked back the lustful glint that was pushing to break forth. She didn't need that. She wasn't there for that. She didn't need to deal with his unwanted sexual advances. He could tell that she wouldn't be too thrilled if he tried anything. If he made one sudden move that would suggest that. Her lustrous dark long hair was fixed in a mermaid tail side braid that lounged on her left breast. It was secured with a lovely flower clip that nestled in the thick mass of silken hair. A pair of gold feather hoop earrings filled her ears. She wore a cherry combo scoop neck three quarter beaded printed cropped tee that made her round breasts appear equally large and showed off the creamy skin of her stomach. His wandering eyes ventured down, seeing that she wore a pair of light wash skinny jeans by Guess that outlined the shape of her hips, thighs, and cupped her ass nicely. A pair of glittery gold Jimmy Choo sandals encased her small delicate feet. It was getting to be a burden holding back the want that he felt, but he did it. He did it for her. For her he would try.

"Aria, what are you doing here?" Ezra asked thickly, before closing his agape mouth.

He was sure that he resembled a gaping fish.

"Can I come in?" Aria asked distantly, not answering his question at the moment.

He knew that she would state her reason soon enough.

"Yeah, sure," Ezra said as he stepped aside to let her in, directing her towards the kitchen table.

He watched as she looked around his apartment, reading her body language. He wanted to know what she was thinking. Wanted to know how she felt about being in his apartment again. He wondered if she was remembering the numerous occasions' she had been there. He saw as her big beautiful brown eyes flashed over towards the couch, knowing that she was recalling the night they had shared the pull out bed together because she was scared of the violent thunderstorm that had raged outside of his apartment building, before her eyes looked towards the back in the direction of his bedroom. She was remembering the last time she had been there. He saw as a cloud fell over her eyes, before she looked back into his face to see that he was watching her.

"You can sit down if you want," Ezra offered as he ran a nervous hand through his hair, taking the opposite chair across from her. He saw as she bit her bottom lip, not knowing if she should as he read the indecision in her eyes. She was such a beautiful creature. "I promise not to try anything Aria. You have my word".

She nodded, before sitting down and crossing her long milky legs.

"Can I get you anything? Some food? Bottle of water? A can soda, maybe? A glass of Scotch?" Ezra proffered as he got back up, heading over towards the kitchen.

He still realized that she was still underage. That fact had never left him. It was always at the front of his mind, reminding him daily just who she was and how old she was.

"No," Aria said coldly as she bit down on her bottom lip again, before moving a stray tendril away from her face. "I'm not hungry or thirsty".

"Then why are you here?" Ezra asked as he stared into her eyes, trying not to sound rude or irritated by her lack of response as he walked back over to the table and sat down.

He was trying to understand why she had come. He wasn't a magician. He couldn't read her mind.

"Look, I don't want to talk about what we did last Saturday. I'm not here for that," Aria said as though she wanted to make that abundantly clear to him. "I'm here because I need a mentor for my junior project. I'm doing it on English. Obviously, you're not my first choice, or who I want to work closely with, but this is a very important part of my grade. I have to pass this project. I can't be stupid and fail just because I don't want to be around you. You can help me out a lot with what you know. You have all this knowledge on the subject. Even more so than me. So, will you be my mentor? I know that I have no right to ask you".

He digested everything she just said to him. He was hurt that he wasn't her first choice, but he was proud that she was willing to push everything that had happened between them aside to come and ask him if he would be her mentor. He knew that it took a lot for her to do so. He also knew that it wasn't easy for her. She was being the bigger person. She wasn't going to let her emotions rule her. She was thinking about her grade and he couldn't blame her. She was being smart.

"Of course I'll be your mentor Aria. You didn't even have to ask. And of course you have every right. I'm your teacher first. I care about your education," Ezra told her truthfully. "Doesn't mean what happened between us that I stop being your teacher Aria. I want to see you succeed and graduate and go off to college. Do you have a schedule that we can work with? I'll try my best to clear off my calendar to make time for you".

"I was thinking I can meet with you two days a week. I don't have to work at the book rack on Tuesdays or Thursdays'," Aria proposed, having it all figured out as she chewed on her glossy bottom lip. "Tell me what you think. I don't know how that would interfere with your already set plans".

"Hold up for a second," Ezra said as he got up and disappeared into his office to retrieve his calendar book, before reappearing again. "You said Tuesdays and Thursdays', right? I just need to be sure. I know off the top of my head that I have one on one tutoring on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays for the students that need extra help with their coursework or the English part of the exam".

"Yes," Aria said softly as she held her breath as she waited for his answer, watching as he flipped through his calendar marking the rest of the month and next month as he made little notes in his neat handwriting.

"Do you want to start tomorrow since tomorrow's Thursday?" Ezra asked as he looked up from his calendar at her, pausing in his writing. "We can meet after school in my classroom, or you could come here. Are you comfortable coming back here? We can meet at some other public place. I mean it's up to you. You decide".

"Tomorrow's fine," Aria said irritably as she swatted another loose strand of hair out of her face. "And I think the wise decision would be to meet in school or somewhere public".

"It's your choice," Ezra stated as he went back to jotting down in his calendar.

"Okay, then," Aria said with finality, uncrossing her legs as she started to rise up from her chair.

He stopped her by placing his hand on top of her smaller one, before pushing his calendar away from him as gazed up into gorgeous face. Her eyes held warning, but he didn't care. He knew that he said that the wouldn't touch her. He had promised her, but he was going to say what he had to say. She needed to hear this. She needed to know how he felt. This could be his only chance to tell her. He wanted her to know. He thought that she had a right to know. He didn't care about putting himself out there if it were too paid off in the end. Him telling her how he felt could, or couldn't make a difference. He was willing to take that chance. He was going to tell her what he had to tell her, and then it would be up to her from then on out. She snatched her hand out from under his as though he had burned her. He could tell that she was angry. Her eyes blazed with it, but she stayed put, her terracotta colored eyes glared down into his.

"Aria, I know that you said that you didn't want to talk about what happened between us last Saturday, but I feel the need to say what's on my chest. You don't have to say anything. I just want you to listen," Ezra said as he held her eyes with his, preparing himself to continue on. "I want you, but not just in the physical sense. I want to get to know you better. I want a real relationship with you, but I know that's going to be difficult because I'm still your teacher and you're still underage, but I want to try. And I know that it's going to be next to impossible because you're with Adam. I'll be selfish if I ask you to break up with him. It has to be your choice. Your decision. I'm not going to pressure you or come on too strong. I want you to be with me because you want to. But, I have strong feelings for you and an attraction towards you. The same attraction I had since the beginning. It never went away. No matter how much I tried to deny. To bury it, it just stayed planted. I had to work out what I wanted. What I felt for you. I never… wanted to feel what I felt for you. I know that it's wrong. I'm supposed to be your teacher. The adult. But I can't help the way I feel. I never…intended to develop feelings for one of my students. This isn't easy for me. I know that you hate me Aria. I can feel it. See it in your eyes, especially since I hurt you by leaving. Know that I never wanted to. I can see in your eyes that you still don't believe it, but know. I'm not just captivated by your beauty Aria. I'm in awe of you".

She just sat there in stone cold silence, her chest rising up and down as she tried to take in all that he had said. He could tell that she didn't know how to take his confession as she bit on her bottom lip roughly, bruising the soft flesh. That she didn't know what to think. He could tell that she didn't know if he was lying or telling her the truth. There was so much distrust between them. He hated that. He wanted to change that. Her angelic features were indescribable. He didn't know what was going on in her pretty little head. He wanted her to say something. Anything to break the awful stillness that had fallen over the room. She just looked at him with unreadable eyes. She was guarded up. He desperately wanted to break the ice surrounding her. If he could find a tiny crack, then he could keep poking at it until it shattered completely. He knew that she wouldn't allow him. She had to come to grips with what he had said. She needed some time. He could easily understand that. He could give her all the time that she needed. He could play the waiting game.

He could hear the unsteadiness of her breathing as she continued nibbling on her lower lip, her long beautiful ebony colored lashes coming down to hide her eyes from him, before they fluttered back up. God, she was breathtakingly beautiful. He wanted her in that moment. He wanted her with such desperation and urgency. He was at the point of serenity and surrendering, but he held himself back. He didn't want to fuck her. He wanted to make love to her, but they both had to want it. He wasn't going to touch her again unless he was absolutely sure that she wanted it too. The look she gave him was so dark and sultry, that he had to remind himself to breathe. He had made the mistake of trying to prove a point last Saturday. He wasn't going to repeat that same misjudgment. His hands itched to touch her. To feel her. Every part of her. His body aching to be inside of her. She shook her head as though she was confused, before she recollected herself. She remembered who he was and what he had done to her. He could read her expressions as though they were images playing through a projector.

"I don't feel the same way," Aria said apathetically, not reciprocating his feelings as her eyes bored into his. "I'm with Adam. I love him".

He nodded his head as he accepted her decision, feeling as a sharp pain sliced through his chest at hearing that she loved Adam. Did she really love Adam? He knew that she cared about him. But love, he couldn't believe it. He didn't want to believe it. The pain intensified, almost consuming him. How long had her and Adam been dating? Was it about two months now? He found that a little too quick to be exchanging I love you's. He was more subtle than that. He had told her that he had strong feelings for her. Yes, that much was true, but he didn't say that he loved her. Having strong feelings and being in love with someone meant two entirely different things altogether. He wasn't quite sure he was even ready to broach the topic.

"I just wanted you to know where I stand regarding my feelings for you," Ezra clarified, trying to shake off the disappoint he felt.

"Why did you follow me into the utility room? Why did you have sex with me?" Aria asked, ignoring what he had just said as though it was of no importance.

"Do you honestly want to know?" Ezra asked her with a slight warning.

"Yes, I want to know," Aria said with ice as she stared deeply into his blue eyes.

"What if you don't want to hear it? What if you don't like what I have to say?" Ezra asked, offering her time to take back her questions.

Aria just shrugged, and then she crossed her arms over her ample breasts stubbornly, not backing down. He gave a short laugh. She had asked for it. But just then, he saw a flash of some kind of an emotion in her eyes. Was it fear? Or was it hope? Or was it both? He didn't know. He didn't want to read too much into it. Or it could very well have been the trick of the light. He decided to tell her the truth. He had already told her that he had feelings for her. What more could there be? Nothing else was stopping him. Just telling her that he felt something for her was a huge step on its own. He ran another hand through his hair, before releasing a breath of air from his lungs, his eyes never looking away from hers.

"I followed you into the school building because I wanted you. You wanted me. We wanted each other. It was as simple as that. Aria, I felt your sexual frustration. I know because I felt the same way. I couldn't turn around. I couldn't stop myself. I didn't want to. I needed release just as much as you," Ezra spoke with raw honesty. Her eyes were so intense as they swallowed his, trapping them in their spell. He couldn't look away. He didn't want to look away. He felt hot and disorient at the same time. The temperature had gone up in his apartment. He could hear the harshness of his breathing. She was the only one that could make him feel this strongly. He feared it and welcomed it. "And I slept with you because I knew that you wouldn't push me away. Because I wanted to show you that you weren't as immune to me as you would like to think. You couldn't fight against what we did. I know it was wrong of me, but I wanted to prove to you that you couldn't pretend like nothing ever happened between us. Prove to you that there is something between us. You felt it. I felt it. I still feel it. Prove to you that you couldn't pretend like we never had sex. I wanted to prove to you that there is an attraction between us. I felt it the first time I saw you sitting at your desk. I couldn't believe that someone so beautiful could be in my class. Had the ability to turn my whole life upside down. Someone who was so tenacious and relentless. Bold and brass. Prove that you couldn't deny the intense pull that's between us. That you at least thought about me more than once. That you can't pretend like I don't exist. I do exist Aria. No matter how much you may hate me, I still exist. Prove to you that you can't stop thinking about me, or how I make you feel. That you can't completely forget about my touch, or having me inside of you. But, most of all, I wanted to prove to you that you couldn't ignore the dangerous, raw, and unexplainable sexual chemistry that we share".

Aria pulled her eyes away from him as she turned her head away, shaking it as she bit on her bottom lip once more, crossing her arms tighter around herself as though she wanted to give herself comfort, before she looked back into his face again. This time, her eyes full of fury. He could tell that she didn't like what he had to say. She didn't want to deal with it. Didn't want to deal with him. She refused to buy into his words. She looked at him as though she couldn't believe that he would pull something like this. Like he would try and ruin her chances with Adam. That he would try and come between them. Her expression clearly suggested that she wouldn't let him. That she couldn't be bought by his fluent words. She took a step backwards away from him and the table as she shook her head again, wanting to put some distance in between them. Like the table wasn't a strong enough barrier. He started to rise up from his chair and she backed away even more, not wanting him any closer to her. He thought that he saw a look of panic sculpting her countenance. Like she was afraid that he would pull something and she would be weak and give in. He froze where he was at. He didn't want her walking out or running away from him. Or hate him even more than she already did. He didn't want to give her any more reasons to distrust him. He wanted her. He didn't want to frighten her, or anger her.

"I think I made a mistake in coming here and asking you to be my mentor. I can't do it. I don't want to be around you. I don't trust you. I thought I could work closely with you without getting sick to my stomach, but I can't," Aria said angrily with disgust as her ethereal face mirrored her words. Did his closeness really sicken her? Did his touch? He looked down at his hands as if they were the enemy, his face falling. "I have to get out of here".

He didn't try to stop her as he heard her make her way over to the door. He was still staring down at his hands as he heard the door slam behind her. He closed his eyes as the sound reverberated throughout his apartment. He was alone, feeling the emptiness seeping through his skin. He blamed himself for being the cause of all this transpiring in the first place. He reopened his eyes as he moved stealthily towards the kitchen, feeling the tension in his jaw as he clenched his teeth. He wasn't hungry. Alcohol was his only friend at the moment. He added ice cubes to his shot glass, before grabbing the bottle of dark scotch, and then he poured some in, pouring until it reached the brim. He threw it back, before grimacing and making a face as the heavy liquor rip through his throat. He poured himself another glass, tossing it back just like before, and then he poured himself a third drink as he made his way over to his couch.

He lied down on his back, the tumbler going to his lips as his other hand rested on his stomach. He took more of the alcohol to the head, not caring that it burned all the way down. He cradled the shot glass like it was his life line. He brought the glass to his lips again, in deep thought. He would give her space until she came to terms with what he had told her. He would give her all the time she needed before he pursued her again. He didn't care that she was with Adam. He threw back the last of his drink, before getting back up to walk back over to the kitchen to refill his glass. He intended to get steel drunker before the night was all over with. He wanted Aria more than before. He saluted himself with ill humor, before drowning the glass in one gulp, reaching for the bottle again, unaware that Aria was still outside his door.

**There you go. I hoped you guys liked it. Especially since Ezra confessed his feelings to Aria. I bet you didn't think that would happen, did you? ;) Let me know what you thought of this chapter by reviewing me! I always look forward to reading what you guys have to say. Next up, Aria POV. And don't fear I'm going to have that chapter up this month as well.**


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

**Aria POV**

Aria flicked off the lights, before closing the door to the yearbook staff room behind her. It was the end of the school day. She was ecstatic with the progress her and her team had made. A smile graced her full lips, her whitish teeth grazing the pink flesh. They had really done an awesome job so far. She knew that this year's yearbook would be the best. No other year could compete with theirs. She had made sure they everyone had delivered everything too perfection. She hadn't accepted anything but the best. Everything she wanted had to be on the up and coming. Had demanded what would stay and what would go. Anything that was unnecessary was thrown in the trash. She had a reputation to up hold. The yearbook staff was prospering because of her leadership skills. She wasn't trying to sound cocky, but it was the truth. Nothing got by unless she approved of it first. She wasn't going to have her name going down for publishing a lousy yearbook without merit. She walked down the semi empty hallway, shifting her book bag to her other shoulder. Must of the students were already gone. Her big beautiful brown eyes scanned the fair flyers that were currently scattered around the whole school, reminding everyone what big event was getting ready to come up. She ran an unceremonious hand through her long dark luxurious hair, the voluminous locks falling back down around her face and back. She was truly a beautiful girl. She knew it, and everyone else did too.

She made her way to Mr. Fitz's classroom. She just hoped that he hadn't left yet. He probably thought that he had no reason to stay after school now. Maybe she should have hinted to him during first period. She ran another wayward hand through her hair, regretting her judgment of not seeking him out sooner as she chewed irritatingly on her bottom plump lip as she sped up her strides, trying to reach his classroom. Her backpack was getting to be uncomfortable, so she switched shoulders. She glanced into some dark empty classrooms, seeing that the other teachers had left. She prayed that he was still there. She nibbled more roughly on her bottom lip as her feet pounded down the deserted hallway. He had been staring at her during class, a question lingering in his blue eyes, so why hadn't he asked her to stay after class? Why hadn't he asked to speak with her? Why hadn't he written her some type of note? Given her some kind of sign for that matter? Why had he remained mum? Maybe he didn't want to push you, a voice said in her head. Maybe he was respecting your wishes to keep his distance, the voice said again. Maybe because he wasn't a mind reader, the voice said a little harshly. He was under the impression that she didn't want him as her mentor now. Why are you so upset over this? She asked herself. Why was she getting so bent out of shape over it? Did she really want to work closely with him? She didn't have time to ponder each question individually as she turned down another hallway.

She thought about her decision to go to Mr. Fitz's apartment yesterday. She had swallowed her pride and gone. It was true with what she had told him. This junior project was a big part of her grade. She had to pass. She couldn't be stupid and fail because she didn't want to be around him. Didn't want to have anything to do with him at all. She couldn't risk failing the eleventh grade because she was being stubborn and difficult. Because she wasn't seeing reason. She had to be rational. She had made the right decision to go to him. It was after all in her best interest. Even though she hadn't liked it one bit, he was the perfect person to help her accomplish her goal. She only cared about passing. Only cared about making the perfect grade. Only cared about having the best resource available to her. She wasn't a complete idiot. She was strictly being smart. And she had lied about it being a mistake to ask him to be her mentor. It had been a rash thing to say. She was about to right that wrong. She wasn't going to pass up on his help if he wanted to help her.

She didn't know what to think about his confession to her. She didn't know how to feel about it. She didn't know what she was supposed do or say regarding it. He had just sprung it on her. She hadn't been expecting him to say those words to her. To have those kind of feelings for her. To feel that way about her. Why did he have to feel that way about her? Why couldn't he just ignore what he felt? Or what he thought he felt for her? He had laid everything out on the table. He had opened himself open for her. For her respond, or either for her rejection. If she was really honest with herself, she had been moved by his words, but she didn't trust him. She didn't believe him. She didn't want to believe him. She couldn't trust anything that he said. She couldn't take anything that he said seriously. She couldn't trust him if she held such distrust for him. She didn't understand his reasons for telling her. What had he been hoping for? Was she just supposed to forget everything that he had done to her? To just forgive him? To just pretend like everything was okay now that he supposedly had feelings for her? It was her right to be cynical of him. She didn't even know if his feelings were even real. She didn't want them to be real. She didn't want to deal with them. She didn't want to think about it. They were just words with no meaning. They didn't mean anything to her. She was with Adam. She didn't feel the same way that he obviously felt about her.

Aria thought about his reasons for following her and sleeping with her. She didn't even know why she had asked the questions in the first place. Why had she wanted to know for some unapparent reason? What had she been seeking, really? Why had he even bothered to tell her? She was met with dead silence. Great, she mumbled underneath her breath. Her mind was being uncooperative at the moment. She remembered being so angry at what he had said. She had been so furious with him. He had been right; she hadn't wanted to hear what both of his answers were to both of her questions. She hated how he had assumed to know her. To know what she had wanted. To know her own body better than she did. He didn't know anything about her. He only knew what she had told him from before. She hated how he had just taken matters into his own hands just to prove a point to her. Just to prove what he had suspected was right, or what he thought was right. Something she didn't value. Hadn't he done enough to her already? What had given him the right to do that? Who had made him god to take that choice away from her? She had every right to decide what she wanted. She didn't need anyone making it for her. She was an adult. She didn't need it forced upon her.

It had been wrong and selfish of him. He had never once thought about what she had wanted. She had been disregarded like she hadn't count. Like she hadn't matter. It was insensitive on his part. He had never cared. He should have given her the choice. And, he had even said it himself that it was wrong, but he had still done it anyway. Who does something like that? She asked herself. What kind of decent person would do that? To take something away from someone without their permission? She wasn't a sex toy. She wasn't a convenience store. She wasn't some slut. She was a human being like he was. She had feelings. He hadn't cared about her feelings at all. He hadn't respected her relationship with Adam. He hadn't respected her. He hadn't wanted to see how it would have affected her. What had made her even madder, was the fact that he had,had the nerve to act like he had cared when she had been crying hysterically. Like he had really been concerned about her. He hadn't been. He had already gotten what he had wanted from her. She smiled bitterly. She had just been a simple fuck to him. A warm body to fuck and discard away like garbage.

She hated how she had been so easy. So shameless with him. Just some cheap lay. It made her sick. What they had done had made her sick to her stomach. She felt the bile rising up in her throat now. No, the real reason he had slept with her, was because he knew that he could. It was as simple as that. She wouldn't believe anything otherwise. He had no feelings for her. He felt nothing for her. He just wanted her to believe that he did. He just wanted her to believe his lies. Once again he had used her, and she had let him like some puppet on a string that had no common sense. That had no respect for herself. She would be damned if she was going to let him come in between her and Adam again. She wasn't going to let him ruin their relationship.

Aria turned down another hallway, closer to reaching Mr. Fitz's classroom. Her mind went to the raffle tickets she was selling for the poetry club. She had sold tickets during each of her classes and in the cafeteria during her lunch period, her best sell coming from the members on her yearbook staff. She would definitely be talking Byron, Ella, and her brother Mike into buying some raffle tickets from her. She had already brought about five tickets for herself. They were five dollars apiece. Spencer had bought a whole booklet from her. Emily had brought two from her. Hanna had brought three from her. Jennifer had brought five from her, and Adam had brought a whole booklet like Spencer. He had brought a whole booklet even though he was selling his own raffle tickets. She had brought five from him. She was confident that the poetry club would make a lot of money from this sell. She couldn't wait to see New Orleans next month if they had earned enough money. She could already picture herself there. She couldn't wait to explore the many different shops and try every kind of food there.

She thought about her decision not to tell Adam that she had slept with Mr. Fitz. She couldn't do that to him. She wouldn't do that to him. She wouldn't hurt him like that. It would be better if he didn't know. She didn't want to lose him. She couldn't lose him. She knew that if she told him, then he would end their relationship. She needed him. She didn't want to be without him. This wasn't an easy decision to keep this a secret from him. She hated lying to him. It was wrong, and he didn't deserve it. She didn't want there to be any secrets between them. She didn't like being deceitful in their relationship. A relationship was supposed to be about trust and honesty, but she was being untrustworthy with him. She hated it. She hated keeping this from him. She could barely stand to look at herself in the mirror. She didn't like the person that was staring back at her. But, she knew if she told him, then she would lose him for good. There will be no getting him back. She couldn't allow that to happen. She knew that was a little selfish, but she couldn't help it. She had finally gotten one of the things that she had wanted.

She couldn't tell him. She couldn't look him in the face and tell him. A part of her wanted to, but she wouldn't do it. She didn't want to see how he would look at her. She didn't want to see his reaction. She didn't want him to hate her. She wouldn't be able to stand it if he hated her guts for betraying him with Mr. Fitz. She didn't want him to blame himself. It had nothing to do with him. It wasn't because of something he had done wrong. The fault was hers alone. She was the one that had cheated. She was the one that had screwed up. She was the one that had created the lies between them. She was the one that couldn't keep her legs closed. She was the one that was keeping it a secret, not because she wanted to save herself from the embarrassment, but because she was willing to spare him the pain. Because she loved him that much to spare his feelings.

Aria thought about having to take the Plan B morning after pill the next day after she had unprotected sex with Mr. Fitz last Saturday. She shuddered inwardly at the bad experience. She had never been so sick in her whole entire life. It had been worse than having the flu. She had thought that she was going to die. That was how terrible she had felt. She had almost ripped out all of her hair. She shuddered inwardly again, thinking about the awful nausea, vomiting and bleeding/menstrual changes, the dizziness, tenderness in both of her breasts, the headaches, and the fatigue. She never wanted to go through that again. She would never forget to use protection again. It had been utter hell. She had decided to take it even though she was still on birth control, but she hadn't been exactly sure if she had taken her pills daily like she was required to. She hadn't wanted to risk the chance of getting pregnant.

She shuddered for a third time. She couldn't shake the bad memory. It had been crazy not to ask him if he had,had a condom. What had she been thinking? She asked herself. You weren't thinking, the voice in her head spoke again. What had he been thinking? Why hadn't he remembered to use a condom, or to pull out of her? Because, like you, he hadn't been thinking either, the voice in her head said. They both had been irresponsible again. They hadn't thought in the moment. She didn't want to have his baby. She didn't want any part of him growing inside of her. She didn't want to be tie down to him for the rest of her life. She didn't want to have any connection linking them together. She would have surly hated it. Hated him more than she already did. She would have hated the life growing in her belly as well. She knew that it wouldn't have been right or fair, so she probably would have gotten an abortion or she would have given the baby up for an adoption. She was proactive for both causes. She had never been so happy to see and get her normal period. She hadn't even minded enduring the painful cramps that had come with it.

Aria finally made it to Mr. Fitz's class. She didn't have to knock because the door was already open. She walked inside, spotting him hunched over his desk as he looked over some paperwork strewn about his desk. She didn't make any sound, observing him as he worked. She bit on her bottom lip as her eyes ran over him, feeling a slight pull in her stomach. He was wearing a blue collared shirt and a pair of black slacks. The top button on his collar was unbuttoned, exposing his neck. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. That was becoming a habit of his. His dark hair was in full disarray. He looked hard at work as he concentrated on the paperwork in front of him. She wondered if she should disturb him. He did look like he was pretty busy. She made up her mind, releasing her bottom lip as she coughed, alerting him to her presence. He looked up, his eyes easily finding hers. For a second they were filled with confusion, before comprehension took its place. He smiled warmly, before he quickly cleared his desk away, stuffing the papers into his black leather shoulder bag, then he got up to pull a chair over to his desk for her, and then he sat back down at his desk, looking towards her again as he waited for her approach. She urged her feet to move as she took the seat beside him, placing her backpack on the floor by her feet, and then she stared up into his face. His eyes were a little red, and she could tell that he had recently shaved.

"I thought that you said that you made a mistake asking me to be your mentor," Mr. Fitz said cautiously, being the first one to talk as his eyes pierced hers. "I'm glad that you made the right decision in the end".

"I know what I said," Aria said, owning up to it as her eyes pierced his back. "It was a rash thing to say. Why did you stay? I gave you no indication that I would meet you".

"And I stay because I had some paperwork to complete, but I also had a feeling that you would show up," Mr. Fitz told her. "Look, Aria, I know that it's hard for you to be around me. Hell, it's hard for me to be around you too, but we need to make the best of it if we're going to be working together on your junior project".

"I completely agree. I want this to work. I need this to work. It's just…I don't trust you. I want to, but I can't," Aria spoke the truth as she ran a hand though her curtain of hair, deciding to just tell him how she felt.

She needed him to know that she didn't fully trust him. He had to be aware if he already wasn't.

"I understand perfectly," Mr. Fitz said as he nodded his head. "I can't ask you to trust me. I can't make you trust me again. I have to earn your trust back. It is because of how I left, or it is because of what happened between us last Saturday?"

"Both, but mostly because of what happened last Saturday," Aria said plainly as another hand traveled through her plush hair, biting on her lower lip as her eyes stared back into his. Understanding. Saddness. Self anger. Was what she read in his eyes.

"I'm not proud of the way I left, but there is a perfectly good reason why I left Aria. I know that you don't want to hear it just yet," Mr. Fitz said, sounding contrite. She still didn't know if she believed him or not. "And I promise not to touch you again unless I have your permission first".

She nodded, feeling as a small smile formed on her full rosy lips, before it disappeared altogether.

She didn't want that to be shown as sign of encouragement. She didn't want to encourage him in any way. She didn't want him to get mixed signals from her.

"I don't want you frighten of me, Aria," Mr. Fitz said, his tone gentle.

"I'm not scared of you," Aria said with some truth behind her words.

She wasn't afraid of him. He gave her a look that said he didn't believe it.

"Then why do you flinch every time I come close to touching you?" Mr. Fitz asked as he sort to prove her wrong, his hand inching closer to hers, but she instinctively pulled back.

"Don't," Aria said coldly, breathing as though she had ran three miles. "You said that you wouldn't touch me unless you had my permission. I didn't give it, so was that a lie too?"

"See," Mr. Fitz said as he released a hard breath, his eyes filling up with anger. "I know that I gave you plenty of reasons to distrust me, but to make you fear me was never my intention. I feel like a monster. I don't want you afraid of me, Aria. And I meant what I said; I won't touch you unless you want me to. Unless we both want it".

"Can we not do this now?" Aria asked with irritation, her brown eyes hard and cold as she used her left hand to move her hair over to her left shoulder, before twisting the mass of hair, and then she let it drop back down to her shoulder. "I thought that I was here for my junior project. That is the only reason I came. I'm not here for anything else".

He nodded his head again, letting it go for now.

"What do you want to know? How can I help you?" Mr. Fitz asked her, going into his role as her teacher. "Maybe you can start by asking me some questions today".

"What is something's that I need to cover and know?" Aria asked as she reached down into her backpack to get out a notebook and pen. "I want to be on the right track".

"That's easy enough," Mr. Fitz said as he rubbed the back of his neck, before smiling. "First you need to explain why you chose English as your career, then you have to tell how long you would have to go to college for, and then what would be your salary. All that has to be in your research paper among other things. Next your project comes. During your project phase, you apply the knowledge gained during your research by defining, designing, and producing a related project. Then you have your portfolio. That's going to include photographs, journal entries, a description of your experiences, and all the paperwork associated with your junior project, and then you will have your presentation. You will have to formerly speak to a board of judges. Now these seven judges are going to be critiquing you on everything. Even on your clothes. So make sure you wear something that's conservative. They will either be teachers, people from the community, or both. You must demonstrate knowledge on your chosen subject but also competent speaking sills, ability to infuse technology or other visual aids, and the ability to think on your feet".

She wrote everything down, not missing anything he had said as her pen scratched against the paper. She really did have her work cut out for her. She could now see why this project was such a huge deal. It was rather similar to the senior project.

"Was there anything else that you forgot to tell me?" Aria asked him, not looking up from her notebook as her hand posed to write more.

"You have to conduct interviews with someone that's in the same career field that you want to enter into," Mr. Fitz said as he raked through his brain, his eyes shifting towards her notebook as she jotted it down. "Seeing as though I'm your mentor, I can't give you an interview. It will have to be someone else. You must provide a list of questions for them to answer. This has to be done for every interview that you do. And you have to make sure that the person you're interviewing at that present time signs his or her name at the end of each interview session. These records will show that the interviews' really did occur".

"My interviews have to go inside of my portfolio, right?" Aria asked as she wrote what he had just said down. "And where would they have to write their signature?"

"Yes, those need to be in your portfolio. It is very important that they be in there," Mr. Fitz said with affirmation as he dipped his head. "And the correct documents would be provided to you as well as other documents".

"Do you know how much time we have to complete this?" Aria asked as she scratched her scalp before running another hand through her hair, smelling the scent of strawberries that clung to her hair as she resumed nibbling on her bottom lip as she stared up into his eyes again. "They never told us a deadline to have everything all done. I've tried asking around, but on one else knows either".

"You have until the end of the semester to have it all done, but you will be presenting it to the judges before then," Mr. Fitz divulged to her. "Presenting to the judges is just to give students practice and to help with their public speaking, but the majority of your assignments' should be completed by then".

"Are you going to be going over the assignments' I do before I turn them in? "Aria asked, already having the feeling that she knew.

"Yes. That's just to make sure you have everything in order and that you do everything according to the criteria," Mr. Fitz explained to her in great detail.

"I think that's all the questions I have, "Aria said as she put her notebook and pen back into her book bag, getting ready to leave.

"Aria, try not to take offense, but I have to ask you something," Mr. Fitz said, before clearing his throat nervously.

She could tell that what he was about to ask her wasn't easy for him. She didn't want him to. She didn't want to hear it.

"Please don't," Aria said with slight anger hinted in her voice, getting easily annoyed with him.

"I have to, Aria. It's very important that I ask you this question," Mr. Fitz stressed.

"What is it?" Aria asked icily as she crossed her arms over her breasts, the coldness reappearing in her brown eyes.

"Are you pregnant?" Mr. Fitz asked, getting straight to the point. He didn't want there to be any misunderstanding behind his question. He wanted to be clear. She just stared back at him hard, her nostrils flaring as she started to rise from her chair. She didn't have to answer him. She refused to answer him. What right did he have to know if she was pregnant or not? It wasn't any of his business. "I'm only asking because we didn't use protection when we had sex last Saturday. I knew better. I should have used a condom. I'm sorry for that. And I can read the resistance in your eyes Aria, but I need to know. I need to know if you're pregnant or not. I have to know. I need to know so I can deal with this. So we can deal with this together".

"No! I'm not pregnant! "Aria screamed furiously at him, spitting out the word as though it was disgusting. As though being pregnant by him was disgusting as she got to her feet, her hair whipping across her face as she swung her backpack over her shoulder.

She didn't miss the pained expression that crossed his face at hearing the repulsion in her voice.

"How do you know Aria?" Mr. Fitz questioned her angrily, his own temper getting the better of him as he got to his own feet. "I know that you think the idea of getting pregnant by me is distasteful, but be reasonable. Have you taken a home pregnancy test? Or seen a doctor at least? You could very well be pregnant. And if you are, then we can deal with it. I won't look away from this Aria. I won't play that game. I'm not a fool to ignore something this serious".

"What right do you have to ask me that? What right?" Aria asked him coldly, her eyes blazing with fire. "Why are questioning me? I have no reason to lie to you about something as serious as this. I hate you, so why would I have your child?"

"I have every right Aria," Mr. Fitz said, the anger still in his voice as he fought to get control of his emotions. Fought to make sense of everything. His eyes expressed pain, but also anger and exasperation. "And I'm only questioning you because I need to know. It's not like I want to doubt you Aria, but you're giving me no choice but to doubt you".

She looked at him with such hatred in her eyes, her eyes glowing darker with even more anger and ice. She couldn't believe him. She couldn't believe that he distrusted her. That he thought that she would lie. That she would keep something like this from him a secret. She couldn't hate him any more than she already did.

"I know, because I took the morning after pill the next day. And I'm still on birth control, "Aria said bitterly, her voice as cold as her eyes, before she turned away from him. "Do you want to know that I got my period too?"

She couldn't keep the sarcasm from out of her voice. She couldn't stand to look at him. She was done fighting with him. How could he doubt her? Questioned her? She headed towards the door. She needed to get as far away from him as she possibly could.

"Aria," Mr. Fitz called after her, the anger in his voice all about gone as he moved from behind his desk. He made no move towards her, or to follow her. He kept his distance. "If you were pregnant, would you have lied to me?"

She could hear the shame in his voice. It cracked with it. He wasn't proud of his behavior. He wasn't proud of losing his temper with her.

"No," Aria bit out, knowing that it was the truth as she paused in the doorway, and then she left out his room.

She thought she heard a huge boom that was made from the force of a desk or chair being thrown across the room. She didn't turn back to investigate. She thought no more of it.

She was more than happy to see the outdoors as she burst through the school doors, walking out into the back parking lot of the school. Her eyes scanned the parking out. She located Adam leaning on the hood of his red Ford Mustang as he waited for her. He waved at her; dark sunglasses covered his eyes as he stared back in her direction. She smiled at him, making her way over to him. She still can't believe what had just occurred between her and Mr. Fitz. She could still feel the rage radiating off of her. He was unbelievable. He was such a callous bastard. She had wanted to slap him. She had been so close to slapping him. She had never felt so much rage in all of her life. The nerve of him to suggest and think that of her was just mind-boggling. She honestly didn't even know if she wanted him to be her mentor anymore. She didn't even think that she wanted to go back. But just as the thought entered her head, she quenched the idea. She couldn't do that. She had to think about her project and her grade. She had to stick it out. No matter how much she hated it, she had to deal with it. God, he just infuriated her so much. She banished all thoughts pertaining to Mr. Fitz form her mind. She didn't want to think about him or think about their argument they had just got finished having. It was a distant memory by the time she crossed the distance separating her from Adam. She flung herself into his arms, his strongly built arms closing around her as he hugged her body to his.

"Hey beautiful," Adam said as he smiled down into her face, before bringing his lips to hers.

"Hey," Aria answered against his lips, her sweet smelling breath tickling his mouth.

"You okay?" Adam asked with concern as he stared deeply into her brown eyes, seeing that something was bothering her as one of his hands came up to caress the side of her face.

"I'm fine," Aria lied with little to no effort, forging a smile onto her lips.

"Are you sure? "Adam asked with some doubt in his voice, not entirely believing her, but he chose not to push.

"Yes," Aria said more confidently, offering up a real smile this time.

"How did everything go with Mr. Fitz?" Adam asked with interest, switching the conversation to something else.

"Can we please not talk about him?" Aria pleaded as ran a swift hand through her hair, before rewrapping her arms back around him again.

"Why? What happened?" Adam asked, not letting this one slid. "Did he say something to upset you, or anything?"

"We just had a little disagreement is all," Aria said nonchalantly, sticking close to the truth. There were enough secrets between them already. She didn't want to lie to him anymore. "It's nothing worth rehashing".

"That guy just makes me so mad," Adam said contemptuously, his green eyes livid more than she had ever seen them. "The guy definitely has a habit of pushing your buttons".

"I agree," Aria said in perfect agreement, not wanting to talk about Mr. Fitz anymore.

Adam got the memo.

"Do you want to rent a couple of movies before we hit up my place?" Adam asked her with a beautiful smirk, before kissing her lips again.

"Sure," Aria complied happily as she kissed him back, leaning more into his hold.

"Sweet, let's go," Adam said as he tugged her along with him over to passenger side of the car, opening up the door so that she could get in, and then he ran back over to the driver side to get in.

Adam drove out of the parking lot, and then he headed to the nearest Redbox. It was located just outside their local Walgreens. There was a line so they got out and waited. When it came time for their turn, they walked up to the red machine. She looked on the wall display that was pinpointed beside the automaton, seeing what they had there as Adam worked the kiosk machine. She moved back over towards Adam, whispering to him that she didn't care what he got as her chin rested on his shoulder as he shuffled through the mass of rentals with his finger, her hand running over his back as she kissed his shoulder, before letting her hand dropped to his ass. She gave it a hard squeeze, her hand remaining there. She didn't care that people were standing behind them viewing her public show of affections. She looked on as he added two movies into the cart, then he clicked checkout, then he reached behind in his back pocket to retrieve his wallet, and then he took out his credit card and wiped it to pay for their rentals. They both stepped towards the side of the machine as it dispensed out their movies, before they headed back over to his car and got in.

Aria took in the beautiful scenery of Adam's quiet neighborhood as they turned down his street. She watched as small children played hopscotch on their sidewalks. Watched as little boys played basketball with their fathers' in their driveways', before she took in the closely knitted houses. It each house was grand in its own way. Every house was structured out of modern brick. Every lawn was well manicured with the brightest and prettiest green grass she had ever seen. Tall and magnificent tress lined the street, making a stunning archway over their heads. She had never seen anything like it. She still was amazed every time she saw it. Adam slowed down as they reached a big nice modern brown brick house with brown shutters and a two car garage and pretty manicured lawn and garden. The red Mustang roared up the steep hill that served as their driveway as he parked the sports car beside his father's squad car. They got out, grabbing their belongings as they made the trek up to the house. Adam's father was coming out of the house as they were walking up to the front door.

"Aria," Mr. Bailey said boisterously as he hugged her spiritedly, pulling her towards him. "It's always a pleasure to see your lovely face. My son is one lucky man".

She smiled up at the older man. He was extremely fit for his age. He looked so much like Adam. He was just an older copy of his son. The same kind emerald eyes stared down into hers. She liked him very much.

"Hi, Officer Bailey," Aria said with a warming smile as she hugged him back, before stepping back. "And I always love seeing you as well".

"And what did I tell you about that Officer Bailey crap? I'm just Benjamin to you," Mr. Bailey reprimanded her softly. "Just Benjamin my sweet girl. Only my co-workers call me Officer Bailey. How's your parents Byron and Ella? Me and Byron have to go golfing again sometime".

"My parents are doing well, thanks for asking," Aria said with another smile aimed at him. "Byron said he never enjoyed golfing more".

"Tell them I said hi, will you," Mr. Bailey said with a pleasant smile, before he turned his attention to his only son.

"I will Benjamin," Aria said, using his first name as he instructed her to.

"Dad," Adam beamed as he embraced his father.

"Son," Mr. Bailey said, a smile mirrored in love still glued to his lips as he hugged his son back, before he stepped back and looked over his son. Father and son were the same height as they stood before each other. Aria knew the two had a great relationship. They were close as two could possibly be. "How was school?"

"You know. Educational," Adam teased his father as he gave a mild shrug. "Are you off to work already?"

"Glad to know," Officer Bailey said with the same sense of humor as his son as he eyed him under brushy eyebrows. "And I got called in to work the second shift. How's your senior project fairing?"

"It's a lot of hard work, but I'm getting everything done just fine," Adam informed his father as he placed a hand over the small of Aria's back, drawing her near him.

Mr. Bailey smiled at that. He looked back and forth between the pair.

"That's what I want to hear," Mr. Bailey said, caring about his son's education like any normal father would. "I'm glad to see that you two are growing even more serious. I would love to oneday have you as my daughter-in-law Aria. Did my son here tell you that he's decided to go to Hollis for college? I bet you're happy about that".

"No, I'm just hearing about it," Aria said with confusion as she looked from Mr. Bailey over to Adam, wondering why he didn't mention any of this to her. He offered up a guilty smile, before throwing his father a harsh look. She wasn't angry with him. She was happy that he was choosing to go to college there to be closer to her. She just didn't understand why he didn't tell her. "Why did you change your mind? What happen to you going to Princeton or Yale? Why didn't you tell me sooner? Why keep it a secret?

"Aria, I was going to tell you, I really was," Adam started off by explaining. She listened. "Thanks a lot dad. I just wanted to keep it as a surprise for now. I wasn't trying to keep this from you. I know that we haven't talked about what we would do about our relationship once I go off to college, so I took the initiative. I don't want to be away from you, Aria. I just thought that we could go to the same college together. I hope you're not angry with me".

"I'm not. Adam, I love the thought of us going to the same college," Aria said as her lips curved upwards into a smile. "But are you sure that's what you want? Don't just do it because of me. We're going to be okay regardless. Distance won't matter".

"Good," Adam said with relief, and then he pressed his mouth to hers. "And I'm positive this is what I want".

"Well, I better get going before I am late for work," Mr. Bailey announced, tearing his eyes from them as glanced down at his watch. "What do you kids got plan for tonight?"

"We're just going to order some take out and watch a couple of movies," Adam said casually as though it was no big deal.

"Sounds eventful," Officer Bailey smiled at the both of them, before walking over to his patrol car. "Oh, yeah, Adam that thing you wanted is waiting for you in the house".

"Thanks Dad," Adam said appreciatively, smiling in secrecy.

Aria looked between father and son as they shared a secret look. What were they hiding? She asked herself.

"No problem son," Mr. Bailey said as he got into the blue and white police car, and then he leaned over to roll down the passenger side window. "I'll see you around Aria. You and my son enjoy yourselves".

"Bye Benjamin," Aria said as she waved, watching as he backed out of the driveway, before turning back towards Adam. She wanted to know what he was hiding from her. "What thing are you guys talking about?"

"You'll see soon enough," Was all Adam said as he took her hand in his as they walked into the house, his eyes shining with obvious enjoyment at seeing her clueless at what he had for her inside his house.

She kept her eyes closed in suspense. As soon as they had gone into the house, Adam had told her to go sit down in the living and close her eyes because he had something for her before he had rushed off. She wanted to peek so badly, but she didn't. She wondered what he had for her; different images took shape behind her closed lids. Time seemed to tick by. He still wasn't back yet. What was taking him so long? She asked herself, growing antsy. Just as she was on the verge of opening up her eyes, she felt his presence again as he sat down on the couch beside her, and then he placed something small into her lap. Her hands gripped the couch pillows, before feeling the thing that was on her lap. Whatever it was it had fur.

"You can open your eyes now," Adam told her.

She did, first glancing at him, before she looked down into her lap. She gasp, the biggest smile shaping her full lips as she squealed in delight. In her lap sat the world most striking Bombay kitten. It was so small. She had a beautiful black fine sheen coat that felt satiny to her fingers and her large round eyes were of the purest copper she had ever seen as they stared back into hers with inquisition and curiosity as it nuzzled itself more into her warmth, purring low. She laughed softly. She knew that Bombay cats were heat seekers. She instantly scooped the feline up into her arms, squeezing the kitten hard to her, but the pussycat didn't protest. She seemed to enjoy being in Aria's arms.

"Do you like her? What are you going to name her?" Adam asked, not being able to keep the smile from his lips. "She was the very last one when I went to search for a cat at the Pete's pet shop. I saw her and I just knew that she was for you".

"She's gorgeous. I love her. And I don't know what I'm going to name her," Aria said as she pressed the cat to her cheek, nuzzling it as it purred once more. So many names flicked through her mind. She had to give her kitten the right name. She couldn't just name her anything. She had to give her a name that suited her. She looked at Adam. "What do you think I should name her?"

"What about Tabitha, Moira, or Lia?" Adam suggested as he reached a hand over to stroke the cat in Aria's arms.

"I don't like those," Aria said veraciously, dismissing those names as she kissed the cat's little snout. "Choose something else".

Adam thought for a minute, before speaking again.

"I don't know. Maybe Tala, or Amora," Adam named off more names, still stroking the kitten's fine coat.

"I like Tala,"Aria admitted as she kissed the kitten's button nose again. "I still don't think that's it though. What do you think kitty? What do you want your name to be?"

She brought the cat to her eye level, gazing intently into its face.

"Isis, or Luna," Adam tried again.

She shook her head no. Those names didn't suit her either. She thought hard as she continued to stare into the cat's pretty copper eyes. She had it. She smiled at her name choice. It was prefect. It was right.

"I'll call you Diana after the Roman goddess," Aria spoke softly to her feline, before pressing the small creature up to her cheek again. "I like it. Do you like your name, Diana?"

The black cat purred as though it was giving Aria, her reply.

"I think she likes it," Adam said laughing.

Aria let Adam pull her upstairs as he held her hand in his, his grip capable and pleasant. She had only been to his bedroom once. She wasn't nervous or unsure. She knew that being with Adam was what she wanted. Knew that she was what he wanted. Knew that she was all he wanted. She knew that right now was the perfect time as any. His father was out so no one was around to interrupt them. It felt right. It felt right in her mind and in her heart. She couldn't say that she didn't want him. She knew that it would be a lie. She couldn't lie when her body felt a certain way. It was strange and frightening how her legs threaten to buckle out from under her as she blindly followed him. She didn't see anything but him. She was oblivious to her surroundings. She heard herself breathing hard as they got closer to his room, feeling as her mouth went completely dry as she bit her bottom lip, feeling a warm tingle start at the pit of her stomach and worked its way up. She was trembling all over, trying to calm her beating heartbeat. She bit down harder on her bottom lip as he pulled her much closer to his back as they reached the top of the stairs. She could feel the slight shake of his hand on hers. That made her smile seductively, biting on her lip so more. Why were they both so jittery? It wasn't like they had never done this before. She had only done it three times, but that was besides the point. She didn't want think about that right now. She didn't know how many times Adam had done it. She had never thought to ask. She didn't want to know. He had never asked her, so she wasn't going to start by asking him. The only thing that she wanted to focus on was them. People from their past didn't matter at the moment. Their ex sexual partners certainly didn't. She just guessed they were both shaky because this was going to be their first time together with each other. She just wanted to pretend like this was going to be her first sexual experience. That this was going to be her first time. That he was going to be her first. This was how it should have been all along.

They didn't say anything as he pushed the door open to his bedroom, pulling her in behind him. Her eyes looked around his room, rememorizing it in her head as she called forth the other image she had of it previously before. He hadn't changed much. He had just made a few alterations as her eyes continued to glance about the room, taking in the full size comfy four poster bed that set in the middle of the room with the dark blue cozy comforter, then to the posters of the many music groups he was interested in and other stuff he liked that was pinned up on his walls, then to the black wood dresser set that matched his bed and his desk, next to his desk that housed his beautiful white MacBook pro laptop and printer and to his big flat screen television that was encased into his wall, then she looked towards his small closet, and then she looked to his private bathroom off to the far corner of his room. She stored the sight away for safe keeping, before she refocused her attention back to him to see that he was staring into her face. She shivered, feeling a chill from the look he was giving her. She never wanted anyone so much. Never needed anyone someone so much. That one look alone had her tingling in so many places, her breasts as her nipples strained against her lacy bra and down below to her weeping pussy as it pulsated, needing to have him inside of her. She didn't know which one of them closed the little space between them first. She just knew that she couldn't take in air as his arms went around her waist, drawing her body towards his. She gasped as she felt his hardness protruding into her abdomen, before he recaptured her lips with his, kissing her deeply and strongly as his hands were free to roam the different parts of her body. Her whole body was an igloo under his fingertips.

She relished in the touch of him. In the feel of him as her arms wrapped around his neck, her fingers running through his hair as his tongue plunged into her open mouth. She moaned into his mouth, her tongue delving deeper into his mouth as she kissed him back. She wanted him. She wanted this. This was all that she wanted. All that she needed. She didn't want to think about anything else. Having him was the only thing that filled her mind. He groaned against her lips as his hands gripped the small of her back tighter, needing to have her closer to him. She arched into him as one of his hands came up to stroke her breast through her top, moaning as that same hand moved to stroke her other breast, his fingers flicking across her nipples as she gasped into his mouth. His other hand left the small of her back to travel up to her long dark silky hair as he ran his fingers through the thick mass of satiny tresses as they got entangled there. His tongue caressed her as hers caressed his, their kiss deepening, before she broke her mouth away from his to gain some more oxygen. She couldn't breathe. He smiled and she couldn't help smiling back as he coaxed her into another kiss, her lips twisting upwards into a sexy smile against his lips. She couldn't think. Her mind was in a fog as one of her hands grasped his neck. She sucked in a deep breath as his fingers ghosted across her back. His fingers felt like icicles. She never was so cold in her whole life. But, it was a good kind of cold. It was the kind of cold that filled up every potion of her body. She shivered again, seeking more of him.

He kissed her rashly, but still softly. She couldn't get enough of what he was doing to her. To the way he was making her heart drum faster. She could feel every vibration in his body. It was a bit unnerving. It was a new kind of feeling. She had felt nothing like it before. She could feel the pulse in his neck as she stroked the side of his neck with the brushes of her fingertips. He broke off their kiss to rub his nose against hers, before kissing it. She smiled softly at the sweet gesture, before throwing her head back as he kissed down her neck, and then he kissed his way back up to her mouth. His mouth was so hard against hers. Rougher. She loved it. She loved him. This was what real kissing was supposed to feel like. This was the way she was supposed to feel. Unafraid and unconfused. She kissed him harder, but slower. She savored in the taste of him. She savored in the taste of his lips. She sucked gently on his bottom lip, drawing the soft tissue into her mouth. He groaned throatily into her mouth before smiling. She loved the sound. She wanted to make him groan again. She didn't know what else to do with her hands, so she just brought her hands down to hold onto his waist, squeezing his sides every time his kisses grow deeper. He laughed into her mouth, before swallowing her gasps.

She pushed away from him, needing more air. She started to get undress as he followed her lead. Her eyes stayed glued to his and his to hers. There was no point and looking away. She could read the playful banterer in his eyes. Her own eyes sparkled with mirth. The desire to be with him nearly choked her. She became desperate as she tore off her clothes. Off came her shirt, then she unclipped her strapless bra and unbuttoned and unzipped her skinny jeans, then next she stepped out of her ballet flats, and then she wiggled out of her lace-trim cheeky panties. He became just as desperate to be with her as he gathered his shirt up from the sides and brought the material over his head, and then he unbuttoned and unzipped his low rise jeans, before kicking off his socks and shoes.

She looked over his body as he pulled down his brief boxer shorts. She bit down on her bottom lip, before chewing on it. His body was so amazing. She loved what she saw. She knew that his front would be just as appealing as his back. She wasn't disappointed at seeing his broad shoulders, his well-proportioned chest, and his taut abs. She relayed that she liked what she saw through her eyes. He smirked, before giving her body the once over. It was slow and thorough. She gave her own little sexy smile, her hands going to her hips as she struck a provocative pose, his mouth falling open at seeing what she had to offer. He was flustered beyond words. She gave him another sexy smirk, turning around to give him the view of the back. By the time she turned back around, he was breathing harder than her. She was fully aware of what he saw when he looked at her.

Aria took from the look on his face that he couldn't quite believe that all of her belonged to him. That she would want him above all others. But, she did want him. She wanted him and only him. She loved him. The words were never truer. She had never told any guy that she had been dating that she loved them. Adam would be the first guy to hear those words uttered from her lips. He was the first guy she had ever loved. He would be the only guy that she would ever love. No one else mattered. She still couldn't believe what was about to happen between them. She still couldn't believe that he was her boyfriend. Couldn't believe that he had been liking her too as a child. He had come back into her life at the right time. She still stood behind her decision to date him. She had never saw love in her future until now. She had never seen herself loving someone else. Adam was such a great guy. He made her feel good about herself. He was the better half of her. She was glad that she had grown to love him. Glad that she had given them a chance. Glad that they had gotten this opportunity. She didn't know if she could love anyone else. She didn't want to think about it. She only knew that at the moment he had her heart. That was the only thing she was sure of. She didn't want to think about other possibilities.

The lust in his beautiful green eyes increased as he continued to look over her body, going farther and farther down to that enticing spot between her smooth thighs. She slyly spread her legs for him, his eyes darkening as he licked his lips. She was so bad, the glee in her eyes shining brighter than before. Her own eyes fell down to the spot between his legs. She moaned in her throat, feeling as the chill of the room take hold of nipples as they stood proud and erect. He wasn't too big, but he was the perfect size for her. She couldn't take her eyes off of it. Off of him in general. She was so wet and heavy. She felt her moisture seeping out from between her thighs. Felt the brewing storm building up inside of her. She needed him now. She crossed over to his bed, drawing the covers back, before she climbed onto the bed as she waited for him to join her, her dark hair fanning out against the pillows as she looked up at him expectedly. He didn't leave her waiting as he walked over to the bed, climbing up onto it as he settled between her opened legs. She tossed the covers over both of them as he braced himself up on his elbows, trying not to crush her with his weight as he searched into his night stand for a condom. He pulled out a golden packet, then he tore it open with a single yank, and then he looked down between their naked bodies as he covered his entire length with the latex rubber.

He stared down into her face, kissing her as he slowly lowered himself down onto her. They both groaned into each other's mouth, loving how great their bodies felt against the other. Her hands gripped his arms, before moving up to encircle his neck as she wrapped her legs around him, feeling him near her entrance. They just kept on kissing, not rushing their time together. It felt good to be this close to him without any clothes on. Without any clothes between them. One of his hands came down to stroke her thigh, before pulling her legs tighter around him. Her hands left his neck to rake down his back, before she buried them into his hair. He wormed his way down her body as he caught her right nipple into his mouth, sucking on it as she arched her back and moaned low, then he released that nipple to capture her left one, sucking on it, before flicking it with his tongue, and then he went back to right breast. She jerked against him as he draw the nipple in between his teeth, biting down on it with care, before moving over to give the same treatment to her left nipple. He moved back up to her body, drawing her into a kiss filled with passion and heat. Over and over he captured her mouth with his, before he eventually drew back. Her eyes snapped back open to glare into his, reading the love that he felt for her. It was overpowering. She kissed him warmly once more, needing to feel his lips on hers as her stomach gave a little flip of pleasure, before she pulled back regrettably. Should she be the one to tell him first, or should she let him tell her first? She didn't know. It wasn't like she was scared of saying it. She was more than happy to. She didn't fear her feelings for him. But should she still tell him? Her mind was in a state of turmoil. He made the choice for her.

"Aria, I love you," Adam said with a voice full of emotion, before he thrusted into her without warning, sheathing himself all the way into her heat.

"I love you too," Aria gasped out against his mouth, her inner walls immediately clamping down on him.

"Really?" Adam asked hopefully as he began thrusting inside of her slowly, his lips brushing hers.

His eyes were dark from want, but they had never looked more serious.

"Yes," Aria moaned out as she nodded her head, her hips moving upwards to meet his gradual thrusts as he continued to move in and out of her sleek walls.

He smiled down into her beautiful flush face, before taking her lips with his. She held on to the back of his neck as her heels dug into his buttocks, her other hand gripping his waist firmly. He gave a loud groan as he went deeper inside of her, his body rocking against hers. Her fingernails cutting into his skin as she threw her head back against the pillow, moaning lightly as he pushed into her a little harder. She could tell that he was controlling himself. She could tell that he was holding back. That he was trying not to be rough with her. She didn't mind. She loved the slowness. The thoughtfulness. It felt different. Nice. She closed her eyes as he moved inside of her, pressing into her again and again, her mouth falling open. She arched her back, gasping at how good he felt inside of her. She concentrated on the different sensations that were running through her body, feeling as her toes curled down. Concentrated on his movements of pulling out, before pushing back forward again. The feeling become so profound, that she thought she would surly faint. She concentrated on their labored breathing. Concentrated on how her body molded to his. On how she couldn't get enough of this new kind of all-consuming passion.

She kept her eyes closed as she felt some kind of invisible coil wrapping its self around the spark of eruption that was mounting up inside of her, threatening to snap. Quite moans of pure pleasure slipped from her lips as her heart pounded. She didn't know that it could be like this. Didn't know that she could be like this. Didn't know that they could be like this together. That it could feel even better with the right person. She didn't know that she could feel such real fulfillment for the first time. He sped up his plunging, hitting every imaginable spot possible as her walls gripped themselves around him. The pricking sensation in her lower region intensified immensely as incoherent sounds were muffled by the both of them as they both tried to reach their climax. He banged her a little harder. A little faster. She could barely keep sense of her mind. She moved almost frantically against him, her hips lifting off of the bed with such force as she propelled herself onto him over, over, and over.

He finally allowed himself to let go of his control as he pounded rapidly inside of her gushy canal as her entire body clenched up. He grunted as his own body clenched up as his hips uncontrollably thrusted downwards into her. She bit her bottom lip as she thrashed underneath him, feeling herself about to orgasm. Felt the surging charge rushing through her body as she buckled up against him. Every time he drove back into her, it was sweeter. Sharper. Harder. Screams were toppling from out of her agape mouth as she moved up and down as she squeezed her eyes tighter together. She soon felt him slipping. Felt her own self slipping. Suddenly, the massive eruption inside of her broke, hurdling her towards orgasmic bliss as she hollered out. He followed closely behind her, his body shaking with spasms as he barked out her name as he gave one final push inside of her.

She let her mind process what happened as his head collapsed onto her chest. She fought to talk. To breathe. They both straggled to catch their breaths. She never felt so great. She started to laugh, her body rattling his as he joined in her laughing session. She didn't even know what they were chuckling about. She didn't know what was so funny. It didn't make sense to her. She just felt so happy. So incredibly happy. More giggles burst from her as the sound swirled around the room. He lifted his head, his eyes smiling down into her glazed over ones, before he pressed his mouth to hers. She pulled his face closer, reveling in his kisses as the laughter died on her tongue. She couldn't laugh when he kissed her like that. When he touched a deeper part of her. She relaxed in his embrace, letting her thoughts wander about as his breath tickled her hot perspiring skin. She was glad that they had taken this big step in their relationship. She knew that she would never regret what they had done.

**You guys either hate me or still love me right about now. Review and let me know how you feel! I really hope you guys continue to read this story. I have more in store in where I want this to go. I loved this chapter. I really did enjoy writing it. So much went on. Anywayz, next up Ezra's POV.**


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

**Ezra POV**

Ezra glanced at the red apple shaped clock that hung on the wall of the school library. It read Four-thirty in the afternoon. He was waiting on Aria to show up. He didn't know if she would show up. Did she still consider him, her mentor? He had no idea. He couldn't say he blamed her if she didn't. He had acted unfairly. He couldn't believe that it was already Tuesday. He looked around the spacious library, only seeing two librarians' and a couple of students remaining behind. He glanced over at the loud ticking clock again. Maybe she had gone to his classroom room, he thought. It was possible, but he was certain that he had told all his students that they would be able to reach him in the library this afternoon. He had even gone as far as posting it up on the blackboard as well as attaching a note to his classroom door. He propped his elbows up on the table, before running both of his hands through his hair, and then he picked up his stale cup of coffee. He drank a few sips, before placing it back down on the white oak table, and then he snatched up his pen, clicking it with the pad of his thumb as he tapped his foot against the floor.

He thought back on what took place last Thursday between him and Aria. He was still angry with himself. He couldn't believe that he had accused her. That he hadn't believed her after she had told him the truth. He couldn't understand for the life of him why he hadn't just accepted what she had told him. He didn't know why he had challenged her. He didn't know why he hadn't believed her. That had been his mistake. He had made her seem like a liar. Like she couldn't be trusted. He never wanted her to think that he distrusted her. That he didn't believe her. He wished that he had never given her that impression. He was sorry about a lot of things. He shouldn't have questioned her. Shouldn't have lost his temper with her, but he had only wanted to learn the truth. Their argument had only escalated from there. She had every reason to be furious with him. She had every right to lash out at him. He regretted not taking what she had said at face value. Once again he had gone the wrong way about handling things. It was like he had wanted her to be lying to him. Like he had wanted her to be pregnant with his child. It didn't make sense, not to him. The way he had fired question after question at her, just adding more salt into the wounds. Just causing her to become even more infuriated at him. She had been right, he had no right. He had no right to judge her, or doubt her. He had no right to think that she had been somehow deceiving him. He had known deep down inside that she wouldn't have straight out lied to him about something as serious like not being pregnant. Even if she did hated him. Even if she couldn't stand him. Some rational part of his brain had told him to stop pushing, but he had kept on pressing her. Had kept on demanding that she tell him the truth. But in all actuality, she had been telling him the truth along.

His behavior had been appalling. He saw that now. He berated himself. Cursed himself inwardly. He couldn't take what he had done to her back. He wanted to, but he couldn't. He didn't know why he had done it. He could only apologize to her. He only prayed that she accepted his apology. But knowing Aria the way that he did, he didn't think that she would. This would be another strike against him. Another nail in his coffin. This would only give her more ammunition to hate him. To wish him out of her life altogether. He released a breath of hot air, retreating more into his troubling thoughts as he ran another uncaring hand through his short hair. It made him sick to think about the way he had treated her. How he had doubted her. It wasn't like he had wanted to doubt her. She had left him with no choice. Still, that was no excuse for his ignominious behavior. He had been nothing but a callous bastard.

He had felt her rage. Had seen her hate growing for him. There was no extent to her hatred of him. She had given him the full force of it. She had been so cold. So hard. Her eyes had reflected nothing but ice. When she had stared into his eyes, he had felt nothing but coldness. There was no trace of warmth. No traces of anything. He had never felt so cold in all his life. That one look had the power to knock him over. He still remembered taking all his frustrations out on an innocent chair in his classroom after she had left. He had just flipped the chair over without a second thought, not giving a crap about breaking anything that got in the way of his aim. Not caring if another teacher or if the principal himself had walked in on him destorying school property.

The pure disgust in Aria's voice when she had shouted at him that she wasn't pregnant. It was like the very thought sickened her. Like he sickened her. Her words, not his. Did she really find him so repulsive? With the possibility of a child? He now knew that she would have hated it. That she would have come to despise the baby that was a part of him. A part of herself. He just remembered being so angry and hurt by it. He laughed bitterly to himself, not caring if anyone thought him insane. Of course, Aria hated him. She reminded him of that fact every day. Why did he think that a child shared between them would be any different? He would be kidding himself if he thought anything otherwise. The way that she had so coldly stated that she hated him, so why would she have his baby. He shook his head hard, not wanting to think anymore of it.

Ezra thought about his crazy weekend. He couldn't really remember anything. He just remember being on a downward spiral. His memory was still pretty fuzzy to recount everything that went on. He just remembered drinking a lot and hooking up with a least two different women at bars outside of town. He couldn't remember their names, or what they both had looked like. To be perfectly honest, he didn't really care. They hadn't mattered to him. He had just been in a pretty bad place at the time. He had just needed some type of distraction to keep Aria from off of his mind, so alcohol and random women had filled that void in him. He couldn't even remember if he had bought them back to his apartment. He pressed his mind for answers. He just remembered being in an empty parking lot, in the backseat of some car, and down a dark alleyway. He wasn't for sure. The pictures in his head were hazy. He couldn't quite make out the images. He vividly remembered clothing being torn off, a lot of kissing and panting, being on top of someone a lot smaller than him, being inside of someone, remembered caressing one woman who had a pair of average sized breasts, the other woman had smaller breasts, he remembered being hot and sweaty, and not being able to breathe. He really thought that alcohol and other women could help him keep his mind off of Aria, but he had been wrong. It had only made him ill to his stomach.

He clearly remembered being so out of it. He had been tired. Had been hurt. Angry. It had felt like he was in some sort of trance. Like he wasn't himself. Remembered being so weak and retching in his bathtub, because he couldn't make it to the toilet stool. He could barely walk in a straight line, stumbling all over the place because he was too drunk to see straight. He remembered hitting his head on something really hard and suffering from a really bad head concussion. Remembered the cold and sterilized hospital. Remembered calling Reed. Reed had been there for him. He had blasted him. Had talked some sense into him. Had told him to get his shit together. He had been grateful that somebody cared. That somebody had been there for him. He had almost told Reed everything. He had wanted to. Reed needed to know why he was acting the way that he was, but when he was on the verge of telling him, Reed had said that he already knew why. That he wasn't blind or an idiot. That he, Ezra couldn't fool him. That he could fool everybody else but him. Reed had just said that he hoped, he, Ezra knew what he was doing. Reed had also told him that right now he was plunging fast and that he wasn't going to stick around to see him fall into a hole that he wouldn't be able to climb back out from.

He thought about how well the raffle ticket sell was going. The fundraiser had struck gold. So many people were buying up tickets that he had lost count. It was teachers, students, and parents just to name a few. He had many club members' come back to see him for more booklets. They were making a lot of money. He couldn't believe how much money they were raking in over such a short amount of time. They were making more money selling tickets, than they did when they were washing cars. He could tell that his club members' liked this fundraiser more. Hell, he liked it more. He had even brought a couple of tickets for himself. He was now in the position to try to figure out what their budget was going to be like. He was impressed with what he can up with. Math and English had always been his strongest points. They only needed a little more money to achieve their goal to go to New Orleans. He was confident that they would be able to pull it off before next month.

He decided that since the fair was going to be in town for one week, that he'll have the poetry club members' participating to earn more money for the trip to New Orleans. He thought the idea was brilliant. He already had it planned out. They were going to have at least two booths set up. One was going to be a lemonade stand, and the other was going to be a game with balloons and darts. He and the club members had already worked on what their prices were going to be, posters and other attractions, and the duty list of who was going to be responsible for doing what. Every member was required to participate in the latest fundraiser. He didn't want to hear any excuses'. He wanted it to be a group effort. He had saw how well they had worked together when they had done the car wash fundraiser, so he wanted to recapture that moment again. He had already made it known to them that the ones they didn't want to take part wouldn't be allowed to go on the New Orleans trip. He didn't care if they had already participated in the other two fundraisers'. Fair was fair. He felt like it would only be considered fair to the ones that had taken part in all three events.

He was interrupted from his thoughts as he sniffed a wave of something flowery. There was only one person he knew that smelled like that. Aria. He looked up just in time as she sat down across from him, placing a big black binder on the table as well as a thick white folder, before she finally looked at him. He couldn't tell what type of mood she was in.

"I'm sorry I'm late, but I got held up with yearbook stuff," Aria informed him on the reason for her tardiness. "What do you want to go over first? I thought that maybe we can go over my research paper first. Part of it anyway, because I don't have it all finished yet".

"It's fine. You're here now, and that's all that matters," Ezra told her with a smile. He was happy that she had decided to show up. She had him worried that she wouldn't make an appearance for their scheduled meeting. "And starting with your research paper is fine".

She handed him the thick white folder.

"Let me know what you think, because I might not have done it right," Aria said as she nervously bit into her bottom lip, leaving a visible impression in the soft flesh. "How many pages does it have to be?"

"No, this is great. You're definitely on the right track Aria," Ezra said as he quickly read through the four pages. "And your research paper has to be at least five or ten pages long. How many pages are you striving for? I wouldn't recommend doing more than you have to".

"Well, that's good to know, but are you sure?" Aria asked him as she watched him read over the last page in his hand, still biting on her bottom lip as she ran her fingers through her bangs, before tossing them back. "And I only plan on doing one more page. I already have enough on my plate between the school yearbook, my school work, and my two jobs".

"I'm positive, Aria," Ezra assured her as he nodded his head, before he placed her papers back into the thick white folder. "What else do you want me to look over?"

"I was hoping that you would look over my portfolio. Just to see if I have everything in their correct placement?" Aria asked as her eyes gazed into his as she handed over the huge black binder. "I didn't really know if we were required to put then in order or what. I sort of just did my own thing. The table of contents kind of confused me".

"All your interviews' go before your thank you letters', "Ezra said as he easily rearranged them for her. "I urge you to have everything front and back to save some space, so buy some paper protectors. Your record keeping for your physical project and your sessions with me has to be in here, but there's no particular order which you have first. You have to have a rough draft and final draft for the table of contents, but only your final draft needs to be in your portfolio. I say keep your rough daft stored on a USB flash drive in case you need to go back and revamp some things or add something onto it later . It would just serve as a precaution if something happens. Other than that, everything that you have so far is in the right spot".

Aria crossed her legs and rubbed her exposed arms as she nodded her head, taking his advice to heart. Her skin really was flawless and smooth.

"Did you check over my questions to the interviews' that I conducted so far?" Aria asked, relieved that she had done everything possibly right.

"I did. You asked some remarkable questions, "Ezra said as he smiled, sounding proud of her, before going back to fixing up her portfolio. "I'm very impressed to see that you already conducted three interviews'. I like that you got right on that without wasting time or me having to ask you. That really shows me your dedication and how bad you want to pass. Hmm, is there anything else that you want me to look for, or ask me?"

"Yeah, hmm… did I do my journal entries in the correct format?" Aria asked as she leaned across the table to flip page after page to get to the section she was asking him about, not taking care that her fingers came into contact with his. "I even looked over the example they gave us to follow, but I'm still unsure if I did it exactly right. I didn't know if I was supposed to be more expressive or what".

He skimmed through her journal entries one after the other, spotting the problem out instantly.

"Yeah, I would suggest that you give more detail to what you're saying," Ezra advised her as he wrote an example down on one of the pages to help her out. "Don't second guess yourself. You know what you're doing. You may sometimes think that you don't, but you really do. Where are your photos? I looked, but I didn't see any in the photo section".

"So, I'll just give more detail from now on," Aria said, sounding as though it won't be a problem as she ran another hand through her soft bangs. "And I know. I just haven't had the time to get around to taking pictures yet. This shouldn't really be an excuse, because I'm on the yearbook committee. That's what I do. I edit, write, and take pictures".

"Aria, look, there's really no rush, "Ezra told her in a soft spoken voice as he looked deep into her big brown eyes, not wanting her to stress herself out. "But just try to get some in there sooner just in case. Listen, it doesn't even have to be a lot. Just try to get at least four or five pictures for now".

"I'll try to get on it," Aria said as she chewed on her bottom lip, pulling her fixed gaze from his, before gathering up her white folder and black binder. "Look, I have to get going. Adam's waiting for me out in the parking lot. I'll see you tonight at the fair".

Ezra watched avidly as she got up from the table. He couldn't believe that their time was already up. He got up too, going over to stand beside her. He took note of her immediate discomfort, her form going rigid. He took a step back, completely forgetting that she didn't like him too close to her. He tried his best to ignore her sigh of relief. His blue eyes looked over her small frame. She was so beautiful. How could he take his eyes off of her without her getting offended? He knew that she felt his eyes on her.

"Do I meet you back here on Thursday afternoon?" Aria asked suddenly, breaking through his observation.

"No, meet me back in my classroom," Ezra said as he tore his eyes away, busying himself by packing up his things to store them back inside his leather shoulder bag.

"Okay," Aria said as she started to walk away from him.

He stopped her.

"Aria, wait," Ezra called after her, looking on as she stopped walking towards the door, and then she turned back around to face him. Her guard went up as her eyes searched his face. What did she see? He wasn't even sure what his face conveyed. Was it yearning? He moved his eyes away from her just long enough to make sure they were alone. They were. When did everyone leave? He asked himself, but that was besides the point. He looked back into her face, struggling with his next words. He could clearly see that she was getting impatient and that she was looking nervous.

"I-I just wanted to apologize for my behavior last Thursday," Ezra said, stumbling over his words awkwardly as he tried to get out what he wanted to say. Her eyes narrowed slowly in remembrance. He could see that she wasn't going to make this easy for him. Something inside of him wanted to prove to her that he meant no harm. His eyes were intuitive as ever as he gave himself a mental push into the right direction. "I shouldn't have acted that way towards you. I was an ass. I shouldn't have treated you that way. You didn't deserve the third degree from me. It was wrong of me to accuse you of lying. I didn't want you to think that I distrusted you, Aria, because I don't. You need to know that. It's the god honest truth. I should have believed you without question. You had no reason to lie. I'm sorry. I hope you can accept my apology. If you can't, then I'll understand. I know when I'm in the wrong".

She didn't speak for a few minutes, her mind processing what he had just said. She didn't look away from him. She just stared back into his inducing eyes. Was she trying to see if he was being truthful? He asked himself as he watched as she confusedly ran a hand through her satiny locks, tousling them before they fell back into place.

"Did you honestly think that I would lie?" Aria asked softly. Too softly, a hint of anger could be heard in her voice as her eyes burned into his. She shook her head with an unmistakable fury, her fingers tousling her long satiny locks again. "I would never lie about something like that. You should have believed me".

He just spoke the truth. He just spoke what he had felt at the time. He didn't want to hold anything back from her. She needed to know what he truly thought if he wanted her to ever trust him again. He ran a hand down his face, before pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I didn't know what to believe Aria, but I should have believed you," Ezra said, before he blew out a breath of air, not knowing what else to say to her as his hands lifted up before dropping back down again. "I don't know what else to say to you. What do you want me to say? That I'm sorry? I did that. That I was wrong? Guess what, I did that too. That I was an ass? I already said that. I already apologized. I don't know what more I can say to you. Tell me… what can I say? Because I don't know what to do or what to say".

"Wow, the almighty Mr. Fitz is speechless for once. Shocker," Aria spewed out hatefully, coldly, her beautiful mouth twisting up into a smirk to match the glare in her eyes. "I don't want you to say anything. There is nothing more you can say, or do. I don't want to go through this with you. I can't. I won't. Just stay the hell away from me".

He watched her retreating backside as she walked briskly out of the library, leaving him completely alone. She couldn't get away from him sooner. He ran another hand down his face, looking up towards the ceiling for answers, before grabbing his bag and leaving out of the library to head to his parked car.

When he got to his apartment, he took a relaxing shower, shaved the dreadful stubble from off his face, and then he put on a fresh set of clothing, before leaving out of his apartment again as he jumped into his car and headed towards the fairground that was located on the outskirts of town. He wouldn't call it entirely secluded, there were a number of houses and gated communities around. As he grew closer to his destination, he saw the many flashing lights. He never saw so many different colors in his life. Everything was lit up like it was Christmas time. The same song that played at every fair, amusement park or carnival was booming loud as he rolled down his driver side window to get some fresh air. He could feel the vibrations through his car. Traffic was backed up with everyone going to the same place. The massive parking lot was already filled up and filling up with even more cars. He even saw that they were issuing out tractor rides to the front gates where you paid for your tickets. He let out a long whistle as he saw the overwhelming lines. He was suddenly grateful that he didn't have to stand in either of those lines. Since he was participating and had two booths set up, he got in fee along with his club members'. He pulled into the dirt road pathway, and then he searched for a place to park. He saw that there were letter sections with cars parked in rows. He found a park all the way to the back. He had a long ways to walk.

He locked up his car, and then he made his way up to the front gates, stopping along the way to catch a ride on one of the tractors. He found it extremely uncomfortable sitting on a bundle of hay, shifting to get more adjusted to the fairly new feeling. He was more than happy when the tractor came to a stop in front the pathway leading up to the front gates,before slipping oddly off the square shaped hay and jumping down out of the back as he walked forward to the front entrance. He stopped and showed the burly security guard his free pass, before stashing it back into his front pocket and venturing on through the entrance gate. He swiftly shoved his way through the crowd of people as he took note of everything in sight. His eyes never missed anything.

He took in the different food stands that served pizza, hot dogs and burgers, French fires and onion rings, cotton candy, candy apples, funnel cakes and cookies, fried pickles, popcorn and ice cream, corn dogs, and Italian sausages. He then took in the drink stands that sold sodas, beer, snow cone ice and slushies, milkshakes, and lemonade. Next he took in the many game stands. There were so many, that he could barely name them all. There was a funhouse and a house of mirrors, and then his eyes looked at all the different rides that people could ride on. The Carousel, Bumper cars and Ferris wheel, Kamikaze, Hurricane, the Music Express and Pirate Ship ride, Drop Tower, Balloon Race and Enterprise, Paratrooper, a lot of Kidde rides for children alone, the Teacups and Octopus ride, Orbiter, Skydiver, Tornado and Breakdance ride, and the Jumping Frog ride. This was the biggest fair he had ever been to. He could totally see why it only came once a year.

Doubling back to check to see how the balloon and darts game was being received, he saw Aria with Adam. He felt the very familiar bubbling jealousy rising up inside of him. His nostrils flared unnaturally as his hands balled into fists down at his sides. He just stood there out in the open not moving as people pushed passed him to get by. He didn't care. He didn't care if anyone spotted him. His angry eyes were only for the seemingly unaware pair. They were walking side by side, his arm draped around her small waist as her own arm hung around his. His mouth twitched as Adam's hand dropped to cup her ass, caressing the luscious mound. He looked towards Aria's face. She only smiled softly up at him, before crushing her lips to his hungrily. It was maybe seconds or hours before they eventually broke apart. He didn't know. Maybe he was just exaggerating. He looked away. He didn't want to see any more of their PDA'S. He didn't think that he could ever get used to seeing Aria with Adam, or any other guys' for that matter. He wanted Aria for himself. He wanted to be the guy that was holding and kissing her. He wanted to be the one to make love to her. To wake up with her still in his arms. To have her smile at him like she was doing so contently with Adam. He got angry at himself. He knew that he had to be patient. That he had to give her all the time that she needed before he made another move towards her. He had to wait out his time. He couldn't risk pushing her away, or risk a shot to ever be with her if she wasn't ready to accept him. He just had to be patient long enough. No matter how hard it was for him to see her with Adam, he couldn't be rash. He momentarily closed his eyes and gritted his teeth together, before tearing his gaze from off of them, and then he continued on. He didn't look back at them again.

As he walked up to the balloon and darts stand, he saw that about five club members' worked the very busy booth. He just stood there for a while, stepping over to the side as he quietly observed them as he crossed his arms and one hand cuffed his chin. After an hour had gone by, and they didn't look like they needed his help, he moved on, a smile gracing his features. He steered himself in the direction towards the lemonade stand, his mind otherwise preoccupied. He wasn't paying any attention to see where he was walking, accidentally bumping into another person. His hand shot out to keep the person he had bumped into upright, before he looked into a pair of familiar cornflower blue eyes. His own eyes widening in shock as did Jamiee's. He quickly got over his shock as he smiled and embraced her. She smiled back at him, allowing him to hug her as she hugged him back. He released her, and then he stepped back from her, his eyes roaming over her as hers did the exact same. She looked good. Great in fact. She looked incredibly happy and healthy. He was happy to see that. He only felt regret for what he had done to her. He had never wanted to hurt her. Jamiee truly was a wonderful woman. She just deserved better than him. He had only hoped that she had found somebody better. Someone who could give her what he couldn't. Somebody that cherished her and treated her well. Someone that could love all of her qualities. He had once thought that person would be him. How wrong he had been. He had only caused her heartache and pain. He was still suffering from that guilt. But, he didn't want to dwell on that. It was in their past. It felt like so long ago since that happened. He was glad to see that she wasn't holding a grudge against him. That was joyfully living her life without being consumed by bitterness and hate from his mistake.

"I had no idea that I would run into you tonight," Ezra said smiling as his eyes continued scanning over her. "Wow, it's really good to see you, Jamiee. You look fantastic. When did you get here?"

"I didn't think that I would run into you either," Jamiee said as she laughed, her eyes never once leaving his face. "And it's great to see you too, Ezra. Thanks. I just got in this morning. What are you doing here?"

He couldn't take his eyes from off of her. He couldn't believe that she was really standing in front of him carrying on a conversation.

"My poetry club members' are working two booths. The balloon and darts game and the lemonade stand, "Ezra said as he pointed out each location to her. "I want to take my members' to New Orleans, so we're earning enough money to go. What are you doing here? If I remember correctly, you didn't like fairs, what changed?"

"That's wonderful of you. I've always said you were a great teacher, Ezra," Jamiee said sincerely as she gave him another smile. "And I still don't like them, but I promised to help out Melissa with her women of Rosewood society booth. How have you been? I've been meaning to call you. I still care about you, Ezra. I still love you. The past is just that. The past".

"And how's that working out for you?" Ezra asked jokingly as he grinned broadly at her. He laughed out loud when she rolled her eyes upward in displeasure. A sign that she wasn't enjoying it. "I've been okay. I've been working a lot lately. The school exams are coming up, so I'm helping some students one on one with those. Then I'm mentoring a student with her junior project, and then I have my poetry club that's keeping me busy in major ways. And I care about you too, Jamiee. I've never stopped caring. A part of me will always still love you. That same part of me will always wonder if we could have another shot, but I know that I have hurt you tremendously. I never wanted to do that. You may forgive me, Jamiee, but I still haven't forgivin myself yet. You deserve so much better than me. I can't give you want you need".

She nodded sadly, a somber smile upon her heart shaped lips, before she said,

"I can't give you want you need either. Maybe now you can put to rest that part of you that still wonders if we can have a second chance".

"How have you been?" Ezra asked as he too smiled solemnly at her words.

"I now know that you didn't mean to hurt me, Ezra," Jamiee said wistfully, still smiling somberly at him. "And, you're right, I do forgive you. You didn't set out to cheat on me. I know you, Ezra. I think I probably know you better than anyone. You have a good heart. While a second chance between us is something to think about, it wouldn't work out for many reasons. I may forgive you, but I won't ever forget what you did. That alone wouldn't work in a relationship. There has to be trust. I have to be able to trust you. That would be hard for me. I will always been left wondering about your whereabouts. About whom you're seeing. It wouldn't be healthy. That is not what a commitment should be about. I think it's best if we just remain friends. We were friends first. And my life has been hectic as always, but I'm enjoying every second of it. I'm happy. I've found someone else that's great for me. I've never been happier than I am right now. I kind of think it's amazing how we're both so happy with our lives. Have you found anyone else?"

"There is someone that I have strong feelings for," Ezra confirmed, liking how he could openly admit that to her without fear of hurting her feelings. His voice took on a whole new meaning. "I'm just giving her time to come to terms with it. The way that I feel about this woman…I've never felt that way about anyone before. I want to be with her. In more ways than one".

"I'm really happy to her that. I really I'm," Jamiee said honestly, freely, before giving him another hug. "I really hope that this mystery woman finds out that she wants the same thing as you. If not, than she's a fool".

He pulled her closer, his arms tightening around her as he kissed her cheek, then the side of her neck, and then he kissed her shoulder, before finally drawing away from her. As he did so, he felt someone staring at him. He didn't know how he knew, but he felt someone's gaze on him and Jamiee. He looked up, searching through the crowd of people. His eyes came to land on Aria, a few feet away. She just stood there, looking back and forth between him and Jamiee, before her eyes came back to zoom in on him. Her face was hard to read. She was by herself. She wasn't with Adam. He could tell that she was shocked to see him with Jamiee. She looked crushed. Hurt. Jealous. Or was he just reading what he wanted to believe? That couldn't be right. Aria had said that she didn't want him. That she loved Adam. He knew that she wouldn't care if he dated other women. He wouldn't so blindly believe that her views had changed now.

Her beautiful doe like eyes narrowed in anger as she stared back at him. How long had she been standing there? What had she seen? Surely nothing that would cause her to think that he wanted Jamiee. He didn't hear Jamiee talking to him. She was forgotten. Why did he suddenly feel guilty? There was nothing going on between him and Jamiee. He didn't want Jamiee. The hug and the kiss he had given her had been harmless. It hadn't meant anything. They were just two friends consoling one another. They were officially saying goodbye to their past together. Before he knew it, he was stepping around Jamiee to head towards Aria, but she pulled her eyes away from him and stalked off. He cursed underneath his breath, before turning back towards Jamiee, who was looking at him with confusion clouding her bright cornflower blue eyes.

"Is there something wrong?" Jamiee asked him with concern, sensing that his mind was on something or someone else.

"No, I just thought that I saw someone I knew," Ezra said as he looked over her shoulder at the empty spot that Aria had just left from, not exactly telling her the whole truth.

"I should really be getting back to helping Melissa," Jamiee announced spuriously, not sounding up to it. "Do you still have the same phone number as before?"

"I do. Do you?" Ezra asked, his eyes coming back to rest on her face.

"I never changed it," Jamiee said, answering his question. "We were friends first Ezra".

"I know," Ezra said, thinking back to the first time they had met.

"Look, I'm going to be in town for a few more days, so we can get together and go out to dinner or lunch or something," Jamiee suggested as she wrote down the name of the Inn she was staying at in town, before giving him another hug.

"I'll like that," Ezra said as he squeezed her body to his, before releasing her and watching as she headed back the other way.

After she had left from his visionary, he headed in the same direction that Aria had disappeared in. He couldn't stop thinking about the emotions he might have read on her lovely face just for an instant. He didn't get it. Had his eyes been playing a joke on him? He didn't know. He wasn't all that sure that he had really read those emotions. He just pushed it out of his mind. He wouldn't do that to himself. He wouldn't drive himself crazy with wondering. He would just let it go. If that really was the case, then why was he still following the way she had gone? There were days that he didn't really understand himself.

Ezra and Aria worked the lemonade stand as they served the never ending line of rambunctious customers'. He didn't speak to her unless it involved taking down each order, making the lemonade, getting her to hand him something, or ringing up the orders on the cash register. He didn't want to fight with her. He didn't know about her, but he was tired of always arguing with her. It was a new change for them working in silence. In harmony without having some type of conflict. They seem to be getting along without anything going hugely wrong, or the other saying anything to rile the other one up. He made sure not to touch her. To brush his body against hers. He tried his hardest even though the small trailer had cramped space. He took great care in not letting his fingers even graze hers. He knew that she was quite uncomfortable with his closeness. But, that didn't stop her for bumping into him. From touching him in some way, shape, or form. He gritted his teeth and just took it. He begged his body not to have any type of physical reaction to her close proximity. His determination was ironclad. He wasn't going to fuck it up. He wasn't going to lay a single hand on her. He didn't want to ruin what they had going. Everything was just easy and uncomplicated at the moment.

He watched her when he knew that she wasn't looking. He just observed her, letting his eyes roam over her. The front of her long satiny hair was styled in some type of hump, and the rest of her silky locks were pulled back into a straight ponytail that fell down the middle of her back. He never knew that hair was so long and luxurious. He wanted to bury his face into it. He wanted to feel as the dark soft strands slip between his fingers. Wanted to feel the texture against his mouth. His skin. To have it cascade around them as she moved up and down on him. A similar memory of her hair covering their faces as he pushed her up against the wall, thrusting up into her tightness played like a short film in his mind. He shook his head vigrously, clearing the pornographic images. He had to stop this. He couldn't. Three inch gold spiked hoop earrings hung from her front earlobes. She wore a long gray tank top with spaghetti straps that showed off her black bra, a pair of skintight red jeans that hugged her hips nicely and accentuated her ass, and a pair of gold gladiator sandals encased her fair feet.

He tore his observant blue eyes from off of her, not wanting her to catch him looking at her. He knew that she wouldn't like him looking her over. Knew that she would hate him even more for it. He thought it was inhumanly impossible for someone to despise another person as much as Aria hated him. He wished that she would just stop hating him so much. He wished that he could get her to stop hating him. To feel something other than hate for him. It was hurting him to see such loathing in her big beautiful brown eyes whenever she would look at him. Really looked at him. Everything was just too much. Everything was just hurting him. The way she treated him was killing him. The way she spoke to him stung him. Every word that came out of her mouth towards him was a direct blow against his heart. Her eyes were once filled with tease, want, and tenacity when she used to look at him. That once familiar glow was gone. He remembered how she would act coy. How she would openly flirt with him, not giving a damn if anyone was around. How she would seduce him every chance she got to be alone with him. How she would just show up unexpectedly. At his classroom. At his apartment.

How she would just stare at him, knowing how it affected him. Knowing how nervous she made him. How she would just do deliberate things to get a rise out of him. Whether it be a simple thing as biting on her bottom lip, or brushing her body up against his. How she would touch and kiss him inappropriately, knowing that it was wrong and against school rules. How she would keep coming after him when he would reject her advances time and time again. God, she had been so relentless. He remembered her smirks of victory when she had him totally enamored. Had him under her spell of hypnosis. Had him completely at her mercy. He had never been so scared in his whole life, knowing what he felt for her. How he lusted for her. She just had that way about her. It had been addictive. She had been addictive. He hadn't been able to get her out of his head. He hadn't been able to stop thinking about her. He hadn't been able to get the touch of her off of his skin. He hadn't been about to get the taste of her out of his mouth or on his lips. Gone were the times she wanted him and only him. Gone were the times she would seek him out. Tried to get him alone. Tried to get him to do certain things to her. He knew it was wrong, but he missed it. He really missed those times.

He looked back into her angelic face again. He saw that her forehead was damp with perspiration as she used her left hand to wipe the small droplets away as she wrote down more orders. Saw the tiny flutter of her pulse beating in her long graceful neck as she stretched. Such smooth creaminess. His mouth couldn't help but go all the way dry. Not a mark was shown on her unblemished skin. He saw as her full round breasts were squeezed together; the tops of them glistened with sweat. He wanted to lap up each salty drop, leaving no trances of evidence behind. He heard the slight wheezing in her breathing as she moved from one station to the next, giving the demanding customers' what they wanted. She was tired. She looked it. She was biting down gently on her bottom lip as her hands fumbled to close the lids on the plastic cups. He was on the verge of telling her to take a break, but he stayed quiet. He knew that she wouldn't take too kindly to him telling her what to do. He knew her well enough to know that she would get angry. That she would either yell or snap at him. He didn't want her making a scene in front of all the people steadily getting into line. He knew that she was quite capable of doing it. He didn't need her trying to bite his head off. He pretty much valued his head. It wouldn't matter if he was only showing concern for her. She wouldn't see it like that. She only saw the worse in him. He also knew that if he ordered her to stop, that she would become defiant. That she would be more than determine to prove him wrong. He would only step in if she was to the point of passing out. That's when he would intervene, not caring if she got mad about it.

**Aria POV**

Unnoticed to him, Aria watched him too when she knew that he wasn't looking. She made a point to look directly at the customers in case he caught her staring. She was horrified at the thought. She watched him under her partially closed long onyx colored eyelashes. Her eyes ran over his gorgeous face languidly. She took in the form of his inviting mouth, the structure of his aristocratic nose, and the beautiful shape of his eyes. She could never get over how blue they were or how intense they were whenever he would look into her face. She saw that like her, he was also hot and sweating. His short velvety hair shone with it, sweat trickling down the sides of his temples. His shirt clinging to his chest and torso, outlining his hard male nipples, tightly drawn abs, and his well-defined physique. She found that she wasn't the least bit repulse. She couldn't find one single thing that was repulsive about him as her eyes strolled over his well-muscled back, before she went back to gawking at more of his frontal. She saw the way his jeans hung off his slim pelvic bones, giving her the prefect display of the big bulge in his pants. Her breath hitched instantaneously as she continued eyeballing that male part of his anatomy. She hoped that it wasn't because of her. She didn't do anything intentional to cause that kind of reaction from him. She knew that he was naturally huge.

She shook her head, not wanting to think nothing else physical about him as her hands moved to untwist the elastic hairband that held her ponytail in place, running her nimble fingers through the cool tresses, before retying the hair accessory back into its rightful spot. She had seen how he had tried to avoid all contact with her body to know veil. He hadn't even tried to be discreet about it. She had actually found it amusing, bumping up against him and touching him just for the hell of it. She didn't know what was wrong with her, or what had came over her, but she missed toying with him. She almost found it cute how the way his forehead would crinkle up whenever he was confused about something. How he would stare at something so fixedly. Like he wanted to work out all the kinks, before he put forth the effort. How his hands would control objects as though it was second nature to them. Like even now, how his hands were artfully scooping out crushed ice and then depositing it into the plastic cups lined on the stainless steel countertop. She suddenly wondered if he still found her attractive. Wondered if he even still had feelings for her. She had seen him with Jamiee earlier. She frowned childishly, chewing harshly on her bottom lip as her brown eyes continued analyzing him. She didn't like it, but she wasn't going to let him know that.

**Ezra POV**

He knew that she had something on her mind. Knew that something was bothering her. What was it? He had no idea. Was it about her and Adam? He didn't want to know anything about their relationship. He would rather remain in the dark when it came to their relationship. Just seeing them together set him on edge. Had his temper flaring uncontrollably. He knew that they weren't near the point of breaking up. He had spotted them together earlier. They had looked fine. They had looked happy. He knew that she wanted to ask him something. What could it be? He didn't know. If it was something that would start an argument between them, then he didn't want to know. They were good right now. He felt her eyes on him. He felt her watching him. He felt her burning questions through his cortex. It was like she could see right through him. He knew that he hadn't done anything to her. That he hadn't said anything to piss her off. That he hadn't touched her. He didn't look at her. He didn't want to. He was afraid that if he did eventually look at her, that he would fall even deeper for her. He didn't know how much more of her rejection he could take. He had sworn to give her time before pursing her again. He felt her struggling with indecision. Felt the raging war battling inside of her. He just ignored her questioning eyes. He thought if he did, that she would drop it. How wrong he was. He felt her mustering up the courage to ask him regardless. It was like she needed to get it out. Like she needed to ask him. That was just who Aria was, she never give up. She never backed down from anything or anyone. Especially if it was something that she wanted above all else. Something that she desired more than anything. So, he gave her what she wanted, his eyes finally colliding with hers. She seemed shocked. Breathless even as she gathered up her bearings, never looking away from the weight of his gaze. She wasn't the least bit unnerved by the intensity of his stare. At which the way he was looking at her, staring into her eyes. His eyes were only for her. Always for her. She had no idea.

"So, I saw you with Jamiee earlier. What did you guys talk about?" Aria started off idly, before placing up the going on break sign so the approaching people could see it. "I don't want you to think that I'm jealous or anything, because I'm not. I'm just making light conversation".

He didn't think that at all. He knew that she wouldn't care if he started dating Jamiee again or if he continued seeing other women.

"Aria, I'm quite aware that you're not jealous of me and Jamiee. I know that you're perfectly happy with Adam," Ezra said realistically, before going back to scooping out ice. "And what I and Jamiee talked about was nothing. It was just a casual chat about what's going on in each other's lives. Nothing more. It was actually refreshing talking to her without all the high emotions running wild. She should still hate me after all I've done to hurt her. I'm lucky she's even speaking to me. But, we were friends first before we got together".

"Are you and Jamiee getting back together?" Aria asked innocently as she looked down at what she was doing, not trying to sound too interested as she sliced up lemons in halves.

He turned around to face her again, giving her an odd look, but she didn't look at him. She looked to be well immersed in the task at hand. He didn't get her. He wasn't sure he understood her. It was a weird thing for her to ask him.

"No," Ezra said with certainty, still giving her an odd expression, hoping that she would turn around and look at him so that he could see her face. He and Jamiee were in fact over for good. "That ship has long since sailed".

She just nodded amicably, her gaze still on the knife in her hand as she focused on her cutting skills. She bit on her bottom lip once more, still not satisfied with his answer.

"Are you sure you guys aren't getting back into a relationship? I mean what if she changes her mind? What if you?" Aria asked hypothetically, shrugging her shoulders, still not making a point to look his way.

He sent another strange look her way. What did she really want to know? What was she reaching for? Why didn't she just come out and say it. This wasn't like her at all. She was usually so bold and straightforward with her questions. It was almost as if she wasn't sure of herself. Of what she my feel for him. But that couldn't be right. She had made it abundantly clear that she didn't feel anything for him. She had told him that she didn't have any feelings for him. That she loved Adam. He wanted to clear this up. It was getting to be confusing. He wasn't even sure she even knew what she was asking.

"Aria, look at me," Ezra demanded, not leaving any room for argument. She looked at him, giving him her full attention. Her eyes were devoid of all emotion. He couldn't read her. "What is this really about? Why are you asking me these questions about me and Jamiee?"

"Nothing. It's nothing," Aria said huffily as she looked directly into his eyes, getting furious that he wasn't answering her questions as she bagged up the slice lemons in Ziplock bags. "Just forgot I asked anything".

"I'm not just going to drop this Aria. I'm a little lost here," Ezra said, not buying her it's not nothing routine. "Why are you so interested in me and Jamiee's relationship? It's not even a relationship anymore. You know that. Why are you so interested in knowing if we might get back together or not? I gave you no indication of that. I've never lied to you".

"I've told you it's nothing! Why can't you just let it go? You keep pushing and pushing! I get so sick of it!" Aria yelled angrily, getting all defensive with him as her eyes shot fire at him. "Why can't you just pretend like I didn't say anything? I don't give a damn about you and Jamiee's non-relationship. I don't care if you guys find your way back together again, or you guys live happily ever after. Excuse me for being civil and making conversation. I now realize my mistake".

He didn't lose his temper with her. He couldn't. It all made sense now. She cared. She cared if he got back together with Jamiee. She was scared to admit it to him. To herself. She didn't want him to know that him possibly getting back with Jamiee bothered her. It struck some kind of nerve with her. She was getting angry because she didn't realize it. She didn't fully understand it. She was angry with herself. He knew her more than she realized. He didn't know what to make of it. He didn't know whether to be happy about it. Should he be happy about it? He asked himself. He didn't want to bring it up to her, fearing that she would get even angrier with him. That she would storm off, but he couldn't let it go. God help him, but he couldn't. He just couldn't. He would just have to risk her fury.

"I think you do care Aria. You're just afraid to admit it to yourself," Ezra stated bluntly. "You care if I get back together with Jamiee. It bothers you".

"Don't be absurd. I don't care!" Aria screamed out again at the top of her voice in true denial as she marched towards him in wild rage, invading his personal space. "And I'm not afraid of anything".

He didn't mind her close vicinity. He didn't mind the heated glare in her pretty eyes. Didn't mind smelling the cinnamon flavor of her breath. Didn't mind watching the tops of her pale breasts rise and fall as she got more aggravated with him, or the way her pearly white teeth sunk into her bottom succulent lip. She was just so earthly alluring. Still in her anger she caused his heart to skip a beat. Caused him to lose half of himself. Caused his head to spin.

"I think you do," Ezra repeated again as he stood his ground as he gazed down into her flaming brown eyes. "If you wouldn't have cared, then you wouldn't have asked me those questions. I'm everything Aria, but being stupid is not one of them".

"No. I. don't." Aria enunciated each word slowly, her eyes still ablaze, not caring that she was acting like a petulant child that was inches away from stomping her feet.

He couldn't help it. He laughed at her childlike behavior. His laugher was loud and untamed. He couldn't stop, which sparked her to become even more infuriated with him. She attacked him, pounding away at his chest and shoulders with her small fists as more anger seemed to grip her. She couldn't see pass her blind rage. She just wanted to inflict pain on him. She just wanted to hurt him. To get him to stop laughing at her.

"Don't! Don't you dare laugh at me!" Aria yelled out between her clenched teeth as she continued hitting and punching him with her hands, not caring where her blows landed on his body. "I hate you! You hear me, I hate you!"

"Stop. Aria, stop," Ezra coaxed softly, gripping both of her wrists hard, trying to get her to stop hitting him.

But, she wasn't really seeing him. She couldn't really hear him. The only thing that consumed her was uncontrollable anger as she unleashed more assaults against his body. He didn't feel any pain. Her blows caused him little to no damage. She just kept on hitting and hitting him. He had to calm her down. He had to get her to stop before she hurt herself. She wasn't hurting him, but herself. His chest was hard. Her hands were soft. Delicate. Beautiful. He wouldn't cause them to get bruised.

"Aria! Stop!" Ezra shouted sternly, trying to get through to her as he grasp tightened around both of her wrists, adding a lot of pressure. She winced. "Calm down. You have to stop before you hurt yourself".

His booming voice seemed to snap her out of her violent daze as she fell against him defeatedly, breathing hard and raggedly as she fought to catch her breath. He dropped both of her wrists and wrapped his arms around her waist as her hands pressed up against his chest. He didn't care that she didn't like his closeness. That he sickened her. All he knew was that, she wasn't fighting against him. He ignored how her body felt against his. She chose that moment to look up into his face. He just stared back at her. He couldn't breathe. He didn't think that he could. All he felt was stillness. All he heard was her. It wasn't hard to block out all the noise around them. Her eyes seem to draw him in. He was lost. He didn't want to be found. What was she doing to him? His entire body felt paralyzed from the neck on down. How was it that he couldn't think or speak? That he couldn't pull away. He knew that it was the rational thing to do. Knew that it was the right thing to do. He didn't want to be rational. He just wanted to be reckless. To give in. To have her once more. To thrust so profoundly into her. His brain was warning him against the tempting thoughts, but he didn't heed them. He didn't want to. God, he just needed her.

She looked from his eyes to his mouth. He thought that he was imagining things, but she did it again. This time her eyes lingering much longer than before. Was she aware of what she was doing? How it looked? What it implied? What was she thinking? Did she want to kiss him? Him to kiss her? Her big confused eyes looked from his mouth to his eyes a third time. What did she really want from him? And again, her eyes moved from his eyes to his mouth. He was just that close to caving in. He wasn't going to be the first to make a move towards her. Why couldn't she just do what she wanted? What she felt? What was really stopping her? He was more than willing. As though she had read his mind, she inched forward towards his mouth.

Ezra waited with a baited breath. He didn't move. He wanted this. He wanted her to kiss him. He wanted it as long as she wanted it. He wouldn't stop her. As though she had come to her senses, she pulled back, but not out of his embrace. He took note of the disappointment and relief that flashed across her face, before she snatched herself away from him altogether. He felt a great void. She put some space between their bodies. He hid his own disappointment, watching on as she massaged both of her wrists as she winced for a second time. He never meant to squeeze her so tight.

"Why do you do that Aria?" Ezra asked her, slightly out of breath.

"Do what?" Aria asked back in a hoarse voice as she looked back towards him, not full of anger anymore.

"Why do you get so defensive and angry over any simple question I ask you?" Ezra explained, waiting to hear her answer.

She didn't say anything. She just turned her back on him. That wasn't good enough for him. He wanted her to answer him. To tell him why.

"I never wanted to fight with you Aria. I'm tired of fighting and arguing with you. Why did you provoke this into a fight?" Ezra asked, still needing to hear her answer.

Silence again. She still didn't say anything. She still wouldn't look at him. He tried again.

"I don't even know why I'm even telling you this, but Aria; I don't want to discuss myself and Jamiee with you," Ezra spoke truthfully with her, running a frustrated hand through his hair as he looked off before staring back again at her back. He felt like he was talking to himself, but he didn't stop. He wanted her to hear this. To really hear what he had to say. Something in his gut told him that she was listening to every word that he said. "We're over for a good reason, so there's no need to talk about it. I don't want her. She doesn't want me. We're never getting back together. Even if she did, I wouldn't. Even if you saw us together, don't start assuming things that aren't true. You know how I feel. You know my feelings towards you. I've told you, whether you believed me or not. I spoke the truth. Every word that came out of my mouth was real. There was no lie. No big deception. I would never blatantly lie to you, Aria. What I feel for you, I've never felt that way about Jamiee, or anyone else for that matter".

More silence between them, until she finally spoke.

"I'm sorry," Aria said quietly as she glanced at him over her shoulder, her arms crossed over her breasts as she chewed on her lower lip.

His eyebrows knitted together in confusion. What was she apologizing for?

"For hitting you the way that I did," Aria elaborated, chewing more on her bottom lip nervously as she saw his bewilderment. "I knew better. You're my teacher. I just felt so angry. I just kind of lost control for a second there. That has never happen to me before. I usually have more control over my emotions. I hope I didn't hurt you".

"Just see that it doesn't happen again," Ezra said lightly, but seriously as his eyes bored into hers. "And, no, you didn't hurt me".

"It won't," Aria assured him with an honest smile for once, before it fell away. "I respect you, Mr. Fitz, but only as my teacher".

"Fair enough," Ezra accepted, not expecting anything more or less from her. He knew his limitations. He knew just how far to push her as he watched as she took down, the going on break sign.

She shot him another hesitant smile, before she went back to serving customers that had piled up just outside the mobile trailer. He didn't know if he should believe it or not, but when she now looked at him, it wasn't with hate. Had she really stopped despising him? He couldn't tear his eyes away from her as she smiled genuinely at the very talkative clientele. He still wasn't able to look away when that same genuine smile was turned on him. He was shocked. He couldn't move. Her perfectly arched brows rose up in puzzlement at his motionless body. He was able to snap out of his narcosis as she looked away from him, getting himself back into action. He worked with more enthusiasm than before even though he was still in shock. He still wasn't able to look away from her. He could only hoped that her forgiveness and her trust came next. He allowed himself to smile.

** Wow! I bet you didn't even imagine that, did you? I really loved this chapter so much, and I hope that it came across that way. I didn't even know that this chapter would take this type of turn. Maybe now you guys can forgive me for taking such a long time to update this. Remember to review! I want to know you guys' thoughts. And now, I'm going to make a little deal with you guys. If this chapter alone has me hitting 400 reviews I promise to have chapter 22 updated this month as well. Deal? You don't want to miss it. I already have some of it written.**


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

**Aria POV**

**A Month Later….**

**New Orleans**

Aria opened up the door and canvassed the hallway to see if the coast was clear for her to venture out unnoticed. It was deserted. She was in luck. She looked back over her shoulder, smiling flirtatiously at a very sleep Adam, who was snuggled up deep inside the covers on the mish-mashed king sized bed. Knowing that she didn't have much time to get out of his room without being seen, she tip-toed quietly back over to the bed and gave him a kiss on the lips without disturbing him from his slumber, her fingers sweeping through his soft strawberry blond hair, before she headed back over to the door. She looked out into the hallway again, seeing that it was still empty of inhabitants'. She took that as her cue to move as she padded down the long hallway of the third floor barefoot to get back to her own room, slightly out of breath. She had to be especially quiet as not to wake anyone up. She would be absolutely mortified if anyone caught her sneaking out of Adam's room in the wee hours of the morning. One person had only to look at her and pretty much guess what she and Adam had been doing. Her naturally long dark silky hair was rumpled as it fell down below her shoulders and back. She ran a hand through the brilliant mass of hair as she chewed somewhat nervously on her bottom lip, shifting the plush locks as they tumbled back down again. She only had on a t-shirt that stopped just above her thighs, showing off her long creamy legs. She was braless so her full sized breasts were jiggling all over the place as her heart started to drum faster inside of her chest, and she didn't have on any panties to say the least.

She inwardly pushed herself to move faster down the hallway. She had to make it back to her room before any one of the teachers was up and about. She hated to think of the different types of consequences' her and Adam would be subjected to if she was caught. She gave her head a hard shake, not wanting to think about that. So far, so good, she thought to herself as she picked up the pace even more. The fear of being caught at any moment increased as she half walked and half ran to her room. Luck was still on her side as her room came into view. She took a minute to swipe her key card and she all but fell through the door as she rushed in, then she shut the door back close, and then she leaned herself back against the door and caught her breath. She had done it. She couldn't contain her excitement. A fit of giggles erupted from out of her mouth. She couldn't help it. She doubled over as she laughed harder, clutching her stomach for support. It had been daring and careless. She had almost forgotten how much fun that could be. Forgotten how it could feel. It had given her such a rush. After a while, she seemed to calm down a bit, relaxing back against the door as she collected her thoughts. She and Adam had done a tradeoff. Sunday night had been her room, and then last night had been his room. They were getting better at this. Sneaking around was a piece of cake. None of the teachers or other club members' had suspected what they had been up to this entire time. It was none of their business. What she and Adam did was their own prerogative. The sex between them had only gotten better and better. She found him to be a very compassionate lover. Her orgasms were always so intense. Heart racing. She could scarcely wait for tonight. She knew that tonight he would come to her room instead of her going to his. She couldn't keep the silly smile from off of her silken lips.

She and the poetry club members' as well as the teachers were all staying in the French Quarter neighborhood of New Orleans. They were staying at the Hotel Royal. It was a magnificent newly renovated 1827 Creole Townhouse. It was centered at the heart of the French quarter part of New Orleans on Royal Street surrounded by top- notch art galleries, restaurants, and shops that New Orleans had to offer. Everything was just mapped out together so that it was only a short walking distance getting around. It was very easy getting from place to place without the fear of getting lost. The Hotel Royal had a European feel to it. It had authentic laced iron balconies that wrapped-around the entire hotel and over looked the busy street down below. There was a lobby with a front desk and comfortable couches visitors could relax in while they waited to check in, or if they just wanted to find some quiet place to socialize with the other out-of-towners, a breakfast room and coffee house, a dining hall that served lunch and dinner and a recreation room, an indoor swimming pool, a laundry room, a business center for business travelers', a built in library with computers and books, a gift shop, and a fitness center. There was an enclosed courtyard that opened up like an arena with very tall structural columns that was designed to hold up the hotel with cobblestones for the pavement at the back of the Hotel Royal. A beautiful water fountain centered in the middle with tables and chairs set up around it, and well-manicured flowers of all kinds were encased in a brick structure that went all around. Outdoor staircases veered off in different directions as they led to different levels of the hotel.

Her room, which was located on the third floor like every other member of the poetry club along with the teachers. Each antebellum-styled room and suite at the Hotel Royal was identically similar, but differed in sizes. Each room or suite had a full, queen, or king sized feathered bed and duvets, 350-thread-count linens, and custom pillowcases. She had a queen sized bed. The walls were exposed brick. Each room or suite featured spotless ebony stained original hardwood floors, high ceilings and a ceiling fan, recessed lighting, flat- screen televisions', iPod docking stations and wireless internet, in-room safe, iron and ironing boards, alarm clocks, a framed picture hung up on the wall to give it more vitality, a microwave, a mini refrigerator, dark antique like furnishing that complemented the already southerly outlook, an all marble bedroom with either a Jacuzzi tub or standing shower. She requested a standing shower, and a small closet space for the hanging of clothing. She had never stayed in a place so imposing, southern, filled with richness, and nice. She still couldn't believe that she was really in New Orleans.

Aria could barely conceal her happiness as she ran over and jump onto her bed, rolling around on it as she squealed and laughed vivaciously as she kicked her feet up in the air and rolled around some more. After a few more minutes of acting foolishly, she got up and grabbed her bathroom toiletries', and then she headed off into the bathroom and got ready for another full day in New Orleans. She took a soothing shower using her all-time favorite shower gel, Berry Vanilla, then she rinsed herself off and grabbed a large towel and towel dried herself off, before wrapping that same towel around her whole body, and then she made her way over to the sink without slipping on puddles of water that had come from her drenched body as she had stepped out of the shower. She looked into the mirror as she blow-dried her hair, using her fingers to comb through it to work out the morass, then she twisted her freshly washed hair and used long black hair pins to pin her hair up into a French knot at the top of her head, and then she started to apply her make up. With an accomplished hand, she carefully brushed on black eyeshadow on both of her eyelids, then she used a finger to rub in some white eyeshadow, and then she dapped on some pink shimmery eyeshadow, before smearing it all in. Next she added on black eyeliner into her inner top lids, then to her inner bottom lids, and then she brushed on black maraca to her top and bottom lashes, adding more to make them appear even longer and fuller and livelier. She then next plucked both of her eyebrows, giving them the perfect arch, and then she rubbed on her protective face cream onto her forehead, cheeks, and her chin, making sure to smooth the ointment in good. Lastly, she applied Pink Friday MAC lipstick on her luscious lips.

She untied and discarded her towel on the floor, and then she walked back into her room naked. She put on her red and black John Lewis Bella strapless bra that was thrown casually on the bed. It cupped and molded her breasts generously, giving them an extra boost. Then she wormed into the matching panties, next she headed over to her opened suitcase that was on the floor at the foot of the bed and pulled her silk pink cami over her head, and then she wiggled into a pair of shiny black wetlook skintight slashed leggings that rounded her hips and made her butt appear larger as the opened slashes ran down the seams of her thighs and legs. The leggings were very sexy and revealing and it exposed bits of skin, but she didn't mind flaunting her body. It was one of her greatest assets. Her body was her temple. She treated it like one.

She then walked over to get her black Prada shoe bag that was made with a snakeskin strap and front pocket that was under the desk. She took a pair of pink flat sandals out of it, and then she slid them onto her feet, loving how they were a perfect fit, and how they gave her feet a tremendous amount of comfort. She sat down at the desk, grabbing her antique jewelry box towards her as she rifled through the many contents inside the depthless box. Her accessories included a big pair of plain black hoops, black studs, a long and short beaded black attached necklace with a black flower clip to it, a black beaded bracelet with a silver cross to it, and a multi-colored flower stretch ring.

New Orleans so far was great. She didn't finish seeing all that there was to see. She still had a lot of exploring to do. It was their third day there. They were staying until Thursday. Today was just Tuesday. There was about fifteen club members' herself included. There was a total of four teachers', Mr. Fitz, Mr. Wallace and Mrs. Baker, and Mrs. McRay. Each of the teachers had paired up to help better manage a group a piece. You had Mr. Fitz with Mr. Wallace, and Mrs. Baker with Mrs. McRay. She was paired off with Mrs. Baker and Mrs. McRay, and Adam was paired off with Mr. Fitz and Mr. Wallace. She recounted some of the things that they had already done as one big group. They had gone on two tours, gone to three live poetry readings and visited a Jazz club, had gone out to eat at different eateries around the area, they had gone to some small shops for shopping, had gone to an art gala and to the theater to see a play, and to a museum.

Mr. Fitz had given all the members' more freedom there in New Orleans than he had done so in New York City, but they just couldn't leave outside the French Quarter district. They had to remain in the area unless he or another teacher accompanied them. She loved the lack of restriction that this trip provided. Of course they weren't allowed to engage in anything illegal or engage in any type of sexual intercourse, or stay out too late. She and Adam were only breaking one of the rules. It wouldn't become a problem unless someone found out about them. She would make sure that wouldn't happen. That couldn't happen. She and Adam had to be more careful from now on. She had no plans on stopping. They weren't hurting anyone. She didn't care what anyone else thought. The only opinion that mattered to her was Adam's. What they were doing wasn't wrong or immoral. It was right. It felt right. They both were consenting adults, and they made their own decisions'. No one had the right to judge them or stop them from expressing their love for one another.

She thought about what her and Adam had plan for today as she chewed softly on her bottom lip. She looked towards the one and only clock that was in her room. It was 9:30 am. She wondered if Adam was up yet. She wondered if she should have left some type of note for him to see when he had woken up. He should be already up, she thought to herself as she released her bottom lip just as it was starting to get sore. Just as she was about to get up and phone his room, her cellphone went off, momentarily startling her. She got up and looked for it, wondering where she had placed it last. She found it on the bed under two big fluffy pillows. She tapped the screen, seeing the new text message from Adam. 'Taking a shower, and then I'll meet you down in the lobby. Love you babe'. She smiled as she replied back to his text, then she carried her phone over to sit it down on top of the desk, and then she finished getting ready as her mind listed some of the things that she and Adam were going to do. First they were going to have breakfast, then they were going to explore some shops together, and then they were going to split up for a few hours to do their own thing, before meeting back up again to head to dinner.

Thoughts of Mr. Fitz re-entered her mind, not realizing that her heartbeat had accelerated, or how she was short of breath. Since being on the trip they had never had a moment alone. She was always with Adam, and he was always with the other club members and the other three teachers. They had never talked. She had kept her distance, and she was happy that he had done the same, but she would always feel his eyes on her. Watching her. Following her. She didn't know what to think. She didn't know what he wanted. Even before the trip they had never talked about that night at the fair. She had never wanted to. She had avoided it. She had never seen any reason to bring it up in their very short but brief conversations during her sessions with him for her junior project. He was still helping her with it. She had never wanted to talk about anything else unless it was school related topics like coursework or homework that he'd assigned, her junior project and school exams, or the poetry club. It was just hard for her to talk about that confusing night with him. She hadn't understood it. She was happy that he had not pushed the issue with her. She had known that he had wanted to. She had also known that he had been just as confuse as her. But, she had also suspected that he had known something that she had not. She just didn't feel quite comfortable discussing her personal live with him. It unnerved her. It felt too intimate. She wouldn't be stupid enough to let him get too close to her again. She wouldn't be naïve again to think that she was in control of things. She had seen how that had ended the first time around. He had left.

She unwillingly thought back on that night at the fair. She couldn't believe how she had grilled him so relucantly about Jamiee and him. She just couldn't let it go. She just couldn't after witnessing him and Jamiee together. It had been such a shock to see that Jamiee was back in town. She had seen them hugging, she had seen him kissing her, and had seen him touching her. So many emotions had formed inside of her, exploding all at once. She had felt crushed, jealous, anger, and sad. It was like something inside of her had snapped. She hadn't understood those spur of emotions coursing through her veins. She wasn't for sure if she should have been feeling those types of things when she was so content with Adam. She shouldn't have felt that way. It shouldn't have bothered her so much. Seeing them together again shouldn't have triggered those unexplainable emotions inside of her. She shouldn't have cared. It had bothered her greatly to know that her emotions were so unpredictable when it came to Mr. Fitz. Her behavior had astounded her. It had disgusted her, and it had angered her more than anything. She had felt like Mr. Fitz had been to blame. She had projected all of her anger towards him. She had needed someone else to blame besides herself.

She questioned her feelings for Mr. Fitz. She didn't even know if she had feelings for him. She didn't think that she did. She didn't think that she could. Anything she had felt towards him in the beginning was gone, but if that was really true, then why had she acted so illogical over him and Jamiee? Why had it struck such a nerve with her? Why did she still find him so desirable? Why did she still find herself sexual attracted to him? Why had she denied so vehemently when he had suggested that she cared if he got back together with Jamiee? Would she have cared? Why had she gotten so defensive with him? So full of anger? Why had she fought with him so hard if she didn't feel anything for him? Why had she blamed him so wrongly for something he had no control over? Why had she even initiated the argument between them if she hadn't really cared? Why had she brought it up? Why hadn't she just left it alone? Why had she unknowingly shown him how much it affected her? Why had she been so hurt, jealous, and so mad if she hadn't felt something towards him? She didn't understand it. What didn't her conscious want her to admit? What was it not telling her? What was she not realizing? For a while now she had believed that she didn't feel anything for him. That she didn't have any type of feelings for him. That she was indifferent towards him, but now she wasn't so convinced. She had stupidly wondered if he had still found her attractive. If he had still had feelings for her. She just didn't want to understand or deal with this new revelation. But, she knew that she had to at some point.

Aria thought about that moment when she had been that close to kissing him. She hadn't known what had come over her. She hadn't known what she had been thinking. What she had been feeling. It just had been so emotionally draining to have him holding her. To deal with the way he had been staring down into her eyes so fixedly. So lustfully. She had been sure that he hadn't even been breathing. He had been lost in her eyes. It had been like he hadn't been able to speak or think. He hadn't even been able to pull himself away from her. It was like he hadn't wanted to. The only thing she had felt was his arms around her waist, his heart beating so rapidly inside of his chest, and she had heard her own noisy breathing. It was though she had been in a trancelike state when she had looked from his eyes to his mouth, and then she had looked from his mouth to his eyes again, lingering much longer than before. She was sure she had done it about two more times. She hadn't even been aware that she had been doing it. She hadn't understood if she had wanted to kiss him, or if she had wanted him to kiss her. All she had known was that she had wanted to feel his lips on hers. To feel his tongue inside of her mouth, stroking hers. To feel his fingers digging into her waist as he gripped her even tighter to him. She had been so confused. She was sure that her eyes had shown it.

She remembered inching closer and closer to his mouth, wanting to feel him. To feel his breath on her lips. She had seen that he had wanted her to kiss him. She had read all the unspoken questions in his eyes. It had been apparent that he had been waiting for her to make the first move. She had known that as soon as her lips had touched his, that he would have caved altogether. He hadn't moved. She had known that he had wanted it. Known that he had wanted her to kiss him. Known that he had wanted it as long as she had wanted it. She had known that he wouldn't have stopped her or pushed her away. It was that knowledge that had made her come to her senses and pull back from him. She hadn't been able to mask the disappointment and relief that had flashed across her face. She had been sure that he had seen it before she had moved far away from him.

She hadn't been able to believe that she had attacked him like that. That she had physically assaulted him. She had just been so incensed. She hadn't been able to take him laughing at her. She hadn't been able to stop herself from pounding her fists against his hard chest and shoulders as more anger overtook her. She hadn't been able to see pass her blind rage. She had just wanted to inflict pain on him. She had just wanted to hurt him. She hadn't even care if she had done a poor job at displaying that. She had just kept on punching and hitting him, not caring if she was hurting herself in the process, or where her blows landed on his body. She didn't even really remember him taking hold of her wrists as he had tried to get her to stop and calm down. As he had tried to get her to listen, coaxing her in a soft voice, before shouting at her when it hadn't worked. She just knew that it had felt so good hitting him, letting out all the anger, hurt, and hate she had felt towards him. It was that same booming voice that had finally gotten her to stop. Had finally pulled her out of her violent daze. That side of her had scared her. She never wanted to lose control like that again. It had been wrong of her to put her hands on him. He was her teacher not to mention. She wasn't an abusive person. That wasn't her, but she couldn't deny that releasing all that pent-up frustration wasn't therapeutic. Experiencing that loss of control made her realize that she didn't hate him anymore. She was just tired and sick of always fighting and arguing with him. It just took too much energy out of her. She was just done with hating him.

Aria shook her head free of her many thoughts as she got up from the desk, and then she rummaged through her smaller suitcase to find her cotton tropical paradise clutch purse. The majority of the lengthy purse was made up in black, but it had flowers blossom myriad colors in the front and back, welcoming a butterfly on the flap, and a bird under it. The patchwork composition was done by recycling faux leather pieces, and the interior was lined and had a practical zip pocket. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. She just knew she had to have it when she had first spotted it at a yard sell for one of her neighbors in her neighborhood. She counted her money, then she straightened her credit cards and placed her key card to her room into one of the available inner pockets, before she grabbed up her cellphone, and then she made her way over to the door, opening it up and leaving as she headed downstairs to the lobby. She was sure that Adam was already waiting for her down there. She didn't want to keep him waiting forever. She had to double back once she reached the bottom of the stairs, running back up to her room to retrieve her designer black Giorgio Armani sunglasses that had dark gray gradient lenses off top her television, before she made her way back down the tiring stairs, breathing harder than she had intended as she brought the sunshades down onto her face, covering her large eyes. What was causing her to be out of breath as of late? She asked herself, not taking the time to mull it over properly. It wasn't important. She was positively relieved to find Adam standing by the door to the front entrance as he waited patiently for her. She walked up to him, smiling at him from behind her sunglasses, before pulling his neck down to kiss him. She didn't miss the pleased groan that had emitted from deep within his throat as he kissed her back, parting her lips so that he could thrust his tongue into her mouth. She moaned into his mouth as his tongue rubbed against hers, her arms wrapping tighter around his neck as he supported all of her weight.

"Did you miss me?" Adam asked mockingly as he broke off their steamy kiss, smiling against her appreciative lips as she smiled back up at him. "I kind of got the feeling that you did with the way you're pressing your bodacious body up against me".

"No," Aria lied with a smirk planted on her lips, her hand massaging the back of his neck as her fingers ran through the cool short tresses as they ruffled against her fingers. "Don't you know that a person's body can be very deceptive?"

"I didn't know that," Adam said laughing right before his potent mouth came crashing down onto hers, swallowing her girlish giggles with his expert kissing technique.

She couldn't stop her body from crumbling more into his. She couldn't think as her mouth moved fiercely against his, her tongue stroking the root of his mouth as his hand came up to grab hold onto the back of her head as their kissing grew even more out of control, his strong fingers brushing her pulse point in her neck. She shivered from his touch. She felt his very excited member pushing up against her abdomen for some action. She couldn't help but to respond to it, pressing herself more into it as he groaned brokenly against their moving mouths. She became very wet, feeling as her cum dampened her panties.

"Someone's very excited," Aria laughed breathlessly into his mouth as she sucked on his bottom lip in between her teeth, making sure to avoid grazing him with her teeth.

"We better stop before I have sex with you right here in this lobby," Adam said hoarsely against her mouth, before breaking off their kiss once again. "As much as I want to be inside of you again, we have to get going. I still have tonight and tomorrow night to make love to you".

"Let's go," Aria said desirously as her eyes fluttered back up to stare up into his eyes, before looking around them. She saw the front desk staff member watching their live show of affections being displayed. She smiled apologetically at the staff memeber who was still gawking at her and Adam. She had no idea that they had, had an audience. It had been very risqué of them.

Adam took her hand, and then he led them both outside into the blazing sunlight of the French Quarter as he hailed down a taxi cab for them. This part of New Orleans was very poetic and cultivated. The cab pulled up to the side of the curb and they got in, and then they headed to the Bistreaux. It was a place that served breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They played live music and it was very affordable. It was a three minute drive from the Hotel Royal. Adam had already called ahead and made a reservation for two upon leaving the hotel. They made it to the Bateaux without running into much traffic, then they got out and Adam reached into the front driver's window to pay the cab driver, and then they headed inside the very nice bistro. The place had a wonderful setting. The floor was a polished hardwood, it had over sized windows that looked out into the streets, dark oak wood rectangle and square shaped tables covered with white tablecloths with matching chairs and a wraparound bar with high barstools, very low celling lamps, very beautiful and diverse artwork was displayed on the walls, and off to the corner was a stage with people playing different types of instruments like the piano, saxophone and drums, a trumpet, clarinet and trombone, a guitar, and a cello.

The very friendly hostess led them to their table, which was closer to the stage. They took their seats, and then they both looked over their menus to see what they wanted to order. Aria tapped her feet soundless against the floor as she swayed to the jazzy tunes that weaved around the whole restaurant before she made her order. When a waiter came to their table, Adam told her that she could go first, so she ordered shrimp and grits, and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, and he ordered Norwegian waffles, grits and bacon, slice apples, and a glass of iced Tea. The waiter wrote down their orders, and then he said that he would be right back with their drinks. She and Adam made light conversation about the places they were going to next and listened to the live music and singing as they waited on their food. Two minutes went by and the waiter came straight back with their drinks, offering them a basket of freshly baked buttered croissants as he placed it in the center of their table along with their drinks, and then he headed off to serve the next table beside theirs. She was halfway full when the waiter reappeared back with their plates of steaming food, having devoured most of the delicious buttered croissants in front of her. Nevertheless, she sniffed her awesome smelling food, before her and Adam both set about eating their food, moaning in unison as they consumed all of their scrumptious food.

When they both were finished eating their food, Adam paid the ticket and they got up and left out of the Bistreaux, and then Adam flagged them down another taxi cab as they got into the car and headed off to their second destination. She was literally stuffed. In New Orleans the food only got better and better. They took a four minute drive to Le Garage Antiques and Clothing on Decatur Street to search for costumes for the French Quarter street festival that was happening tomorrow night. The yellow and green taxi cab stopped in front of the shop, Adam paid the taxi fair, and then they both got out and walked into the overcrowd establishment. The shop was like a hoarder's dream come true. It was very spacious even though things were clustered together on sell racks, piled on the floors, hanging from rafters, chairs and tables, in glass cases, in the walkways, on shelves', on hat and coat racks, counters, and the never ending rows of other cool stuff. It was like a maze. You could get lost. They had everything from costumes to costume starters, masks and vintage clothes, vintage custom jewelry, knick knacks, knives' and swords, gas masks, every type of hat that you could name from the very old to the new and hip and occupational type of hats too, military stuff, gorgeous vintage scarves', jackets for men and women, antique dressers and mirrors, uniforms, handbags and lamps, pictures, books and old cameras, home furnishings, housewares, art, and some random buttons depicting eighties musicians, etc. Everything was insanely inexpensive.

After her and Adam had a quick look around, they headed off in the direction of the costumes and the dressing rooms. They tried on the many different costumes that the store supplied, showing each other what they found, but they avoided showing the other what costumes they decided on as they wanted to keep that part a secret until tomorrow night. Aria found two amazing costumes, before she walked off to roam some more around the shop. She found a lovely afghan blanket, some cool custom jewelry to add to her jewelry collection, and three pretty vintage scarves'. One was black, grey, and red; the second one was an Asian inspired all over print design scarf, and the third one was a floral designer scarf with purple, green and pink, and white. She found two colorful slumped vases, an old fashion straw hat with a wide brim, a small Chinese lamp, a see through black lace half jacket and a dark blue half jacket with big golden buttons, some type of old board game, two paperback romance novels, and an old camera. She gathered up all her goods, and then she carried it over to the cashier. All of her items totaled up together was under fifty bucks. She then stood off to the side as Adam paid for his few items, and then they left out of the store hand and hand with their shopping bags. She was seemingly happy with the things she had chosen. She had never been to a store that sold so much great stuff.

They shared a passionate smooch, before Adam spotted an approaching taxi cab that pulled up in front of them, and then they loaded their shopping bags into the trunk of the taxi cab and got in. Next they headed to Shushan's. It was a hat and casual wear shop. It was a quick two minute drive from Le Garage Antiques and Clothing on Saint Peter Street. Aria pushed her sunglasses up on her head, before grabbing Adam's hand and climbing out of the low cab, and then they strolled into the shop with Adam's hand placed protectively on the small of her back. She couldn't stop her mouth from gaping open. She had never seen so many hats in all of life. The place looked like a hat factory. She saw why this place was considered the most popular hat spot in the French Quarter. Her eyes traveled around the entire store, drinking in the magnetic sight. The owners were a husband and wife team. They smiled and greeted her and Adam, asking them if they needed help. She and Adam respectfully declined their offer before moving around the shop.

The shop had hats like _Callanan, _blues, jazz, swing, and brass band hats_. _Western, pork pie and Indiana Jones, and Ivy hats. French Berets, Caps, and Fedoras hats. They had top hats and _Mardi Gras Hats, etc._They also sold neckties, beaded purses and sunglasses, jewelry, t-shirts and socks, travel vests, dresses and cotton skirts, umbrellas and charms, Miniature music instrument pins, sandals, and so much more. She and Adam fooled around playfully as they put on the variety of hats, modeling them for one another, before they went off in separate directions. She picked out a red and a grey pointelle cotton beret, and three pairs of knee-hi socks. One pair was a wonder woman cape type of sock; the other was a rainbow stripe with cats, and the last pair was made up in shoes. She picked up a black and white leopard beaded purse, a beaded peace sign coin purse, three sterling silver charms, two music instrument pins, a zebra stripe dress and a solid black dress, two pair of scandals, pink flamingo sunglasses and earrings, and a pansy umbrella, and then she headed up to the front to buy for her items.

She watched on as Adam counted out his money before handing it over to the male shop owner, then he took her hand in his, and then they both walked outside, spotting their same taxi cab from earlier waiting for them. The aglow of the sunlight had loss some of its zest, settling into the late afternoon. She helped Adam load their bags into the back of the cab, and then she walked around to the driver side with Adam as he asked the taxi cab driver to wait there while they came back from their next predetermined course. They started walking on foot to New Orleans Ink. A house of tattoos and body piercings. It was just a few blocks up the corner across the street. It was a narrow rectangular structure pink two-story shotgun house raised own brick priers with steep stairs and yellow shutters and doors. It had a narrow front porch covered by a roof apron and supported by columns and brackets with lacey Victorian ornamentation. They walked into an empty waiting room with chairs, a long coffee table set in the middle of the room, and end tables were pushed off into corners was filled up with different magazines. The white walls were decorated with different types of tattoo designs. A rack closer to the door had more books filled with tattoo designs, photo and poem designs, lyric designs, and different font style designs. One of the world's biggest flat screen television sets that she ever had the pleasure of laying eyes on was hung up on a stand on the wall that jutted out into the waiting area. A receptionist area was all the way up to the front where you had to sign in your name and write down what you were getting done. A sectional was positioned behind the receptionist area, and behind the sectional was a spacious opening with six tattoo stations set up with both male and female artists. Upstairs was orchestrated the same way.

Aria went to go sign her and Adam in at the front desk, then she grabbed two of the catalogs off the rack, before going over to sit down beside Adam as they flipped through each book together to see what type of tattoo they were going to get done. They had already decided that they would get matching tattoos too. It had been a mutually agreement on both their parts. There was no way that she was going to renege on this decision. Looking at her from afar you couldn't tell, but she was beyond nervous. She was already anticipating that there was going to some pain involve. She already knew that it was going to hurt as she bit down insensitively on her bottom lip, feeling exceedingly grateful as Adam leaned over towards her to plant a reassuring kiss against her quivering lips, before he got up to go get himself a drink of water from out of the water dispenser. Their names were called as they were called to the back. Adam led the way as she brought up the rear end, running both of her hands down his back, and then she wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed the back of his neck. She loved the sound that he made, gifting him with another one. She couldn't just not touch him. She had to touch him every moment of the day, and she wanted him to touch her every minute of the day. She loved how her body was so in tune with his. How it seemed to welcome hers.

Once to the back, Aria went to the cute black haired tom boyish female tattoo artist with the crazy nose and lip piercing, while Adam went to the male punk rocker stationed right next to her with the many tattoos inked all over his neck, chest, and arms. She suddenly wondered if the guy had a great tolerance for pain. There was no way she would have gotten all those tattoos. She commended him, before focusing back on why she was there. She took a moment to breathe, and then she indicated to the female artist that she was more than ready. She closed her eyes up tight and waited for the needle to prick her skin, her hands gripping each armrest of the black reclining chair. She couldn't believe how much excruciating pain she was in, feeling as her eyes watered up. She thought that the pain would never end, but she never made a peep, let out a distress cry, or hiss against the pain as the time ticked by slower than ever. She was so concentrated on receiving her own tattoos that she never gauged to see how Adam was holding up in the chair beside her. She got a medium sized butterfly tattoo on the back of her neck. It was done with great precision and a steady hand. It was outlined in black with long black curled antennas and long black curled legs. The colors inside of the beautiful butterfly were purple, orange and pink, and red with black swirl designs infused into the pattern. Adam got a massive black wolf tattoo that was designed in great detail on his right shoulder that went all the way down to his elbow. The wolf eyes were sea green like his and a bright bursting blue star outlined one of its eyes. And then they got their matching tattoos with the words 'Fated To Love You' scripted in fancy lettering going around their inner right wrist and a design with red roses growing on a vine underneath it.

When they were both done they headed back out into the front to pay for their tattoos, receiving a small bag each that included a guide to taking care of tattoos and some sample items to help medicate them with, and then they walked out of the tattoo parlor in good spirits with Adam cradling her body to his like she was some delicate china as he pulled her much closer to him. She couldn't stop thinking about how great his body felt against hers as they drifted down the sideway, taking in the scenery as they stopped here and there to take pictures with Adam's disposable camera he had gotten at the gift shop back at the hotel. The day was perfect. Adam finally broke the nice silence that had soon settled over them as they walked, their bodies knocking against the other.

"So, why get a simple butterfly? I mean you could have gotten anything else. Why choose that?" Adam asked as he glanced over at her, his voice lining with curiosity as he tried to figure her out.

"You really want to know?" Aria asked him as they walked towards their green and yellow taxi cab that was just up the street.

She had no problem with telling him. She wanted to tell him anything. She wanted him to know her better on a much deeper level than before.

"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want to know," Adam said to her in a more serious tone, still glancing at her out of the corner of his eye.

Fair enough, Aria thought. He had a valid point.

"It represents the fragility of life, transformation or change as well as love and joy, simplicity, peace and a new life," Aria said as a smile worked its way onto her lips, her words having such meaning to it. "It also represents a new beginning, it serves as a reminder to make changes when the opportunity arises, and the butterfly flight appears as though it's dancing, a reminder not to take things so seriously".

"Wow, that's beautiful," Adam smiled sheepishly at her, not being able to keep the admiration out of his voice.

"You really think so?" Aria asked as she looked towards him, sounding unsure of herself for the first time with him as her steps matched his.

"Yeah," Adam said genuinely as he squeezed her side.

"You don't think it sounds stupid?" Aria wanted to know as she continued to stare over at him, her feet never once faltering as he guided them towards the taxi cab.

"No. of course not. Nothing you can ever say would say stupid to me, Aria," Adam said with conviction, before his eyes moved away from hers as he paid attention to where they were going.

She loved him for that. She craned her neck and kissed his cheek, surprising him as he looked back over in her direction.

"What was that for?" Adam asked, smiling with his mouth and eyes, before averting his eyes to focus back in front of them.

"For being the greatest boyfriend a girl could ever have," Aria said sincerely, not being able to hide from him.

He smiled again, sparing her another look.

"Okay, Your turn. Why get a wolf tattoo?" Aria asked him, wanting to know his story behind it.

"You really want to know?" Adam asked her, pulling her over towards the parked taxi cab.

"Sure. I'm curious," Aria said as she gazed up into his face, waiting to hear what he had to say.

"Although they are aggressive and ferocious. They are also very soothing, devoted and independent," Adam started out as he looked into her eyes, before he looked beyond her, and then his sea green eyes came back to rest on her gorgeous face. "They are also loyal, and all about family. When they find a partner. A mate, they settle down for life. There's no one else for them".

"I love that," Aria said truthfully, winded. "I especially love that part about the mate".

"I'm glad," Adam said huskily as he trapped her body between the car and his, and then he took her mouth fervently with his as he deepened their kiss.

She couldn't breathe or form any coherent words as she grasped his forearms as her lips clung to his as she kissed him back.

"So, I guess I'm considered your she wolf then," Aria breathed heavily against his mouth.

"I guess that is what I'm saying," Adam said as he pushed himself back from her to open up the back door to the taxi cab, and then he tossed their bags onto the backseat, before shutting the door back close.

Aria gave Adam one last kiss as she begrudgingly pulled away from him, touching a light fingertip to her lips as though she wanted to savor the taste of him. She moaned sadly as she gazed up into his smoldering beautiful green eyes, already missing him. His touch. The feel of him. The weight of his lips on hers. She didn't want to ever stop kissing him. To ever stop loving him. As though he had heard her thoughts, he grabbed her face to his, his warm breath causing her to become light headed as he rested his forehead against hers, before closing his eyes and brushing a long lingering kiss against her slightly swollen pinkish full lips, and then he moved away. She reopened her eyes as she felt his absence, hating that they were splitting up and going their own separate ways. Wait, why were they separating again? She asked herself. Oh, right, he had to visit the cigar factory to get his father a gift for his upcoming birthday, and she wanted to go to a fortune teller shop. She had always dreamed of going to one. She read the very revealing regret in his eyes. He didn't want to be apart from her either. She pasted a smile on her face that she didn't quite feel. His own corners of his mouth lifted up into an unhappy smile as he tried to return her smile. He too felt what she was feeling, his hand reaching up to cup her cheek in his hand.

She nudged it fondly, absorbing his touch as she inhaled the scent of him, before releasing a deep sigh as she stepped away. What was wrong with her? Them? Why were they acting all clingy towards each other? It wasn't like this would be the last time that they would see each other. She just wanted to forget about going to the fortune teller shop altogether and just go with Adam instead, but something was keeping her from voicing that notion. Something was stopping her. She didn't know why. She didn't understand this sudden overwhelming feeling. It was like something inside of her was pushing her towards the shop even harder. Like she had to go. Like she needed to go. She couldn't ignore it. She didn't want to. She was curious. Scared. Anxious of what she might find or learn out. It didn't matter that the other half of her wanted to go with Adam. To be with him. It was like she had to follow this urge. Like she had absolutely no control whatsoever over the matter. She didn't know why this feeling was so strong. She had to try to at least understand it.

"Let's just meet back here when we're both done," Adam quietly suggested as he stared down into her face, seeming to see deep down into her very soul as his fingers stroked her face, before he moved his hand away.

"Yeah, sure," Aria agreed as she came out of her confusing thoughts to smile up at him again. "It shouldn't take us that long. We can meet back here and then we could go to dinner".

"It shouldn't. I'll try my best to find dads gift and be back here as soon as I can. And I love the sound of that. I'm starving," Adam said smiling; his eyes filled with laughter before giving her a brief kiss on top the forehead. "Hey, I love you".

"I love you too," Aria replied back, before reaching up on her tippy toes to give him a quick peck on the lips, wanting to remain there longer, but she pulled away as she turned away from him and walked away.

She walked down the block, searching for the one and only fortune teller shop in this area. The French Quarter part of New Orleans truly was captivating. If she had it her way, she would love to remain there and not go back to Rosewood, but everyone she knew and loved was back in Rosewood except for Adam, who was on this trip with her. She wished that she had thought to purchase a map at the Royal Hotel, she thought as she nibbled on her bottom lip ruefully. But, there wasn't enough time for any regrets'. She knew that it was on this street. Saint Parish Street. Locals and other visitors' filled the streets and sidewalks as they headed to their own destination. She laughed melodically as she watched as little children ran about their parents' legs, and as tiny little babies clutched to their mothers' breasts. They were a family. Her sparkling big brown eyes loss its shine, her laughter dying down inside of her throat as she stared intently at all the different families surrounding her. She wanted a family like theirs someday. She wanted a husband and children. She wanted a big house and a career that she loved. Although she wanted these things very badly, she didn't want them right away. She wanted to graduate from high school first, then she wanted to go on to college at Hollis and only then would she settle down and start a family of her own.

Aria knew that Adam would make a great husband. He was already a great boyfriend. She knew that she would be happy with him. She was overly happy now. She knew that he would make a great father. She had seen how he had interacted with his little cousins'. He already had a wonderful relationship with his own father. She knew that would factor in. she knew that Adam looked up to his own father like an idol. He was someone that Adam valued more than anyone else. She loved that about him. Loved that he was funny, sweet and caring, and that he was family-oriented. Those were some of the traits that would make a wonderful father. Why was she suddenly thinking about getting married and having a husband? A talk of starting a family and having kids? She didn't have the slightest answer to that. She didn't even know why she was even thinking of it. She mentally erased all of these contemplations' from her mind. She didn't want to think of it anymore. If she was really honest with herself, she wasn't ready.

She idly eyed her inner right wrist as she turned it over, analyzing her phrase of a tattoo and the design underneath it, seeing how reddish and enflamed the skin was. It burned and itched, but she knew better than to scratch it. It would only make it more painful and it would catch an infection. She would just have to put some ointment and alcohol on it when she got back to the hotel. Speaking of her other tattoo. The one that she was most proud of, a ghostly finger reached behind her to brush across the butterfly ink that was stamped on the back of her neck. She took in a sharp intake of breath as her finger traced over it slowly. She hissed, no longer being able to keep the pain in. The flesh was hot, throbbing, and most likely irritated. She moved her finger away, no longer wanting to mess with it as she focused on where she was headed. She knew that she wouldn't regret either of the permanent marks on her body. It defined her at the moment. She was at a point in her life that afforded her to make some necessary changes in her existence.

Finally, she came to a stop at the small little black shop. She knew that she was at the right place. There was no doubt in her mind. She looked around skittishly, checking to see if anyone was watching to see if she would enter the bizarre shop. No one was paying attention to her. She looked back at the meager establishment, cautiously and smartly examining it. She couldn't look inside because of the curtains that were tightly drawn. The place itself gave off an eerily feeling. She couldn't help but to shiver inwardly. What was she doing? She knew that she was open-minded to all things in life, but did she really believe in tarot reading? Things unexplainable? Things that was supernatural? There was only one way to find out. The shop had two gigantic windows as it faced outward towards the street. Displayed on one window was a hand with the name of the woman and her number down below, and on the other window was a picture of a woman fortune teller staring into a crystal ball intensely. She shook her head, giving it a mental shake before pulling open the black iron door, and then she went into the shop. Immediately, different incenses hit her nose as her eyes adjusted to the dim lighting. She heard a chime of a bell that was hanging over the door to alert the woman to visitors. Her eyes looked around the shop, seeing that the size of the shop from outside was very deceiving. It was a whole lot bigger inside than it was outside. She saw that there was a glass counter at the front with an old looking type of cash register, before she checked out the rest of the shop. She spotted a lot of herbs and dry leaves, spices, powders, knick knacks and trinkets, jars filled with some form of liquid and plain empty jars, collectables, voodoo type artifacts, candles and incenses, old worn books on different type of subjects that involved tarot reading, voodoo, witches and Wicca, the afterlife, connecting with spirits and seeing ghosts, shape shifters and werewolves, vampires etc.

She saw old fashion jewelry and hats, canes and stuffed birds and other animals that was hanging from the ceiling or posed on tall shelves, wands, old smoking pipes, antique genie bottles, different types of tarot cards, old looking short and tall lamps, beaded bracelets and necklaces, glass plates with some type of designs in the middle, calendars, zodiac signs, posters and pictures, ancient rune markings, African figurines and vases, weird looking sculptures, different types of potted plants and cactuses, oils and soaps, framed portraits, flavored mints that had different meanings as she walked around the shop , dry foods of fruits and meats and homemade shakes, funny looking pills in small packets, containers filled with self-made potions, and wooden statues. Her exploration was soon cut short when a woman of middle age appeared from behind a veil of colored beads that fall from the ceiling to the floor to hide the room at the back of the store. She instantly knew that was the place where the woman held all of her tarot readings. She looked over the woman. She was dark of skinned. She looked to be of Romanian heritage. A true gypsy. She was stunningly beautiful with sharp features, high cheekbones, and a square shaped jaw. Her hair was thick and jet black and fell to shoulders in a ray of curls that was held back from her face with a beaded jewel headband. A beaded shell necklace was tied around her neck. Gold chandelier like earrings hung from her earlobes. More shell bracelets and other types of bracelets littered both of her wrists and forearms. Her eyes were deep brown and almond shaped. She had on a small red shirt that hung off her dark sun-kissed shoulder blades and showed off her middle. A glittery substance filled her belly button. Her skirt was black and long and flowed whenever she walked, almost touching the floor and red shiny flats encased her feet.

"I am madam Jezebella, how can I help you?" The woman spoke in a strong Louisiana accent as she introduced herself to Aria. "You are my first customer today. Business has been rather slow this week".

For a second, Aria had to remember why she was there. She had been so put off by the woman's true beauty and her outer attire. There was no turning back now. She had to see this through. She cleared her throat before she found her voice. When she still kept on stalling, the woman kindly intervened.

"Maybe I can help you look for something," Madam Jezebella proposed with a helpful smile, her thick dialect never wavering once. Her piercing eyes held hidden secrets. Held some kind of knowledge that Aria didn't know. "Or, you are here because you want a tarot reading performed". She paused as she tilted her head to the side to better view Aria, studying her with knowing eyes as they twinkled intelligently. "Yes, I believe I'm correct in my assumptions'," She amused light-heartedly as another smile form on her relatively thin lips.

"Yes, I would like a tarot reading done," Aria said, this time her voice returning to her. "How much will it be?"

"It will be thirty-five dollars," Madam Jezebella said as she moved towards the front counter that housed the cash register, her long skirt swishing as it swept across the floor. "To forewarn you, I only take cash".

"Sure," Aria said ambiguously to the fortune teller she believed was a con artist as she snapped open her clutch purse to pull out her money, not believing that she was about to pay her this amount of money for something she didn't really believe in.

"Thanks," Madam Jezebella said, knowing quite clearly what Aria thought about her and her profession as she pocketed the money into the cash register, before stepping from around the counter as she headed towards the back. "Right this way, please".

She walked on up ahead like she already knew that Aria would be following her. She then stopped when she got to the veil of colored beads that made up the archway, parting the noisy long beads, before she turned back around and faced Aria, beckoning her through without saying a word. Aria walked on through the archway into the back room, Madam Jezebella followed. Aria took in this newest surrounding as Madam Jezebella went about lighting candles around the smallish dinky room as it illuminated with flickering candlelight, casting off the walls that were covered in different materials. She moved from candle to candle, before moving on to another as she chanted inaudibly underneath her breath with a sing-songish quality. Aria couldn't make out a thing that she said as she moved around the room like a graceful ballerina, her long skirt swirling around her feet. She just shrugged her shoulders, going back to inspecting the room. In the middle of the room sat a dark mahogany wood table with matching tall chairs that was covered in a long dark forest green cloth that went all the way down to the floor and the chairs had padded pillows the same color as the tablecloth. Her keen eyes focused solely on the table, making out a deck of colorful tarot cards that were waiting to be dealt out. She was very surprised that she didn't see a crystal ball. She laughed to herself. She didn't care if Jezebella heard. She would play this little charade with her. She didn't even know what was holding her back from just walking out the door, but that same grudging feeling like she needed to be there kept her compelled in her spot.

"Why don't you have a seat," Madam Jezebella gestured to one of the chairs as she took the other chair across from her. "I need for you to get comfortable in order for this reading to work. I need for you to clear all your thoughts. Let everything running through your mind go. Don't doubt. Just embrace. I need for you to completely relax, and then I want you to take deep relaxing breaths. In and out".

Aria did has she instructed, shifting to a more comfortable position, before clearing all of her rambling thoughts, and then she started to breathe in and out calmly.

"Just like that. Good. Now, I want you to close your eyes, and then I want you to place both of your palms down on the table," Madam Jezebella said in a commanding voice. "Next I want you to pick ten cards from my deck, but don't turn them over".

Once again, Aria followed her instructions, selecting a total of ten cards, and then she lined them up, before she put her hand back down on the table.

"This card is the Fool card," Madam Jezebella said mysteriously as she flipped over the first card.

"What does it mean?" Aria asked intriguingly as she stared down at the card she had selected.

"This card is about confronting fears and taking risks," Madam Jezebella said with insight as she looked up into Aria's terracotta colored eyes. She flipped over the second card, never taking her eyes off of Aria as the tips of her fingers mapped out the card caressingly. "This is the Magician card".

"And what does this one mean?" Aria asked her, not being able to take her eyes off of the enchanting cards. "I can't imagine it means magic. I mean magic doesn't exist. And I can't imagine it means trickery either".

"No, it doesn't. It doesn't mean magic or trickery. This card points to talents available and often signifies an ability for you to tap into your full potential," Madam Jezebella explained as she brushed the card aside to reach for the third one, flipping it over for Aria to see. Aria watched as the fortune teller smiled as her fingers ran smoothly across the texture of the light card, before she looked back into Aria's face. Her deep almond shaped brown eyes held truth. "This is the High Priestess card".

"What does it represents?" Aria asked, more engrossed than ever in what the woman had to say.

"This card is about listening to your inner voice. To gain knowledge before you come to a decision. To reflect on your feelings. To trust your instinctual knowledge, supernatural knowledge and secret knowledge, and self-knowledge," Madam Jezebella deciphered categorically as her eyes held Aria's. Aria could tell like the first card that this one held some truth too. She couldn't deny that. Could she have been wrong about Jezebella? She didn't know what to really believe. Madam Jezebella shoved the card away, before drawing up the fourth one. "The Empress card".

"What is it about," Aria asked almost breathless as she stared intensely down at the card, taking in a relatively small amount of air in each inhalation.

"This card is a creator, be it creation of life, of romance, of art or business,"Jezebella paraphrased shortly, before moving on to the fifth card as she turned it over. "The Lovers card".

"What does it stand for?" Aria asked in a low tone, biting down on her bottom lip as her eyes contemplated the beautifully crafted card.

"Well, it's about harmony," Madam Jezebella recited as those that was the main focus of the card. "Thus, is it about something that speaks to you. That you know and recognize as your other or mirror self. Your twin. And which it makes you feel harmonically balanced or complete. Two choices are involved with this card. First, your soul or psyche is making its choice. It recognizes this other person/thing as being your spiritual twin or as harmonizing with you; you become amorous for it. Now the rest of you, the demands of your life, your emotional heart, passionate soul, can agree or not. That's the other choice. You will feel powerfully drawn to this career, challenge, person or thing so much so that, no matter how scary, how difficult, irrational or troublesome, you will be inclined to go for it. This is love. But you will also know that it comes at a cost. Obeying this urge can be foolish, dangerous and selfish, thoughtless, and earth-shattering. Yet, you can say no to this attraction. You do have a choice. If, however, you don't allow yourself to try and make this person, career, challenge or thing a part of your life, you may regret it, profoundly and forever".

Aria didn't know what to think after that long declamation, gnawing down harder on her bottom lip as she gave the card more thought. It was just all so confusing to her. None of it made sense.

"This is the Strength card," Madam Jezebella announced as she flipped over the sixth card, interrupting Aria's musing.

"What does it mean?" Aria asked, eliminating her pervious thoughts altogether as she studied the card now in front of her.

"This is great card to have. It bodes well," Madam Jezebella said with a pleasant smile etched on her face, her eyes coming to lock on Aria. "It's about an internal battle within you will be won. Don't doubt yourself. You are stronger than you think. You can do more and be greater".

She turned over the seventh card, studying over it briefly, before saying anything as her hands ran over the card.

"What is it," Aria asked with impatience, bringing the woman out of her examination.

"It's the Wheel of Fortune card," Madam Jezebella stated, before emphasizing on it more after reading Aria's lost expression. "It can mean movement. A change in life, or evolution".

Aria just nodded, swallowing the lump that had form in her throat. What did all this mean? She was more confused than ever.

"This is the Death card," Madam Jezebella said as she watched Aria carefully, before going back to marveling over the eighth card she had turned over.

"Is it bad?" Aria asked her hesitantly, not wanting to know if it was as she chewed harshly on her lower lip.

"It's about endings, and that includes the ending of life. However, the death card is not exclusively about the end of a human life. Death can mean the end of anything," Madam Jezebella assured her as she looked more closely at her. Aria released a sigh of relief. Madam Jezebella flipped over the ninth card, not missing that reaction. "This is the Star card".

"What's that?" Aria asked her, her voice shaky before she spoke a little louder as she tried to forget the Death card.

"It offers many things. That there is aid and assistance out there from someone to help you through hard times. More, the card tells us that we can achieve what we most want to achieve. It offers peace and healing. It also promises a particular future can exist," Madam Jezebella expressed in a more happy tone. She didn't gave another thought to the card as she moved it aside, reaching for the tenth card. The last one. "Lastly, the Judgment card".

"I'm hoping that's a good one," Aria said nervously, letting go of her bottom lip she had been biting down on for the longest time. She suppressed a whimper of pain, tasting the distinct taste of blood in her mouth. "Do you know what it means?"

"I like to think so. The judgment card is about resurrecting the past, to forgive it, and to let it go and move on. To finally face what you've been dreading to face. To heal and renew," Madam Jezebella summarized up nicely as she flashed Aria a smile. "Take into account that these cards are not always accurate. They can be wrong, or they could be completely right. It is not always known. That's why I would like to read your palms for a more in depth grasp of your life. So, place your hands into mine".

Aria did has she told her, placing her palms into Madam Jezebella's as the fortune teller closed her eyes, squeezing Aria's hands lightly. She reopened her eyes, then she turned Aria's palms upwards so that she could read them as she gazed down into them discerningly as her fingers traced over the lines in Aria's palms, before she refocused her attention back onto Aria.

"Hmm… I saw that you loss someone very dear to you. It was a very long time ago," Madam Jezebella read out as she traced the lines in both of her palms again. "I'm thinking it was a sibling. Perhaps an older sister? For a long time you blamed yourself, but not anyone".

How did she know? Aria asked herself. Could this woman really be the real thing? She didn't know. She was still uncertain. She shifted uncomfortably, wanting to pull her hands away, but she didn't. She wanted to know what else the woman knew about her. About her life.

"I loss my older sister in a house fire when I was younger," Aria choked out, her eyes showing vulnerability as they became misty as she felt the tears gathering up in her eyes, threatening to spill over. It took great effort for her to continue on. "She saved my life, and for the longest time I blamed myself harshly for it. I feel like…if I never would have cried about losing my stuffed bunny that she wouldn't gone back to retrieve it. She wouldn't have died. She still would have been alive. I felt like I was living her life. Like she should have been here instead of me. I couldn't forgive myself. But then, someone made me see otherwise. That same person said that it wasn't my fault. That I wasn't to blame, and that I shouldn't blame myself for something I had no control over. It helped. I never even told him that".

"I'm sorry for your loss," Madam Jezebella said, expressing her remorse. She too had felt that kind of loss. "I have also loss someone very close to me".

Aria just nodded. She didn't want to speak about it anymore. She blinked back the tears that were now cascading down her pale cheeks, before she pulled one of her hands out of Madam Jezebella's to wipe them away begrudgingly, and then she placed her hand back into hers.

"Your future looks bright," Madam Jezebella said as she looked down once more into Aria's palms, pouring over them. "You're going to accomplish the things you want and more".

"I guess I should be thrill about learning that," Aria smiled half-heartedly at the fortune teller predictions.

"You have two loves in your life right now. You love both of them in different ways. Both of these men are great and wonderful. They love you very much. Both of these men are very handsome," Madam Jezebella relied to her as she leaned much more closely into her palms as she read them. "I'm seeing that one is about your age, and the other is much older. You will have two paths to take. They are not set. You must choose one. You could either decide to be with one or neither of them. You can't be with both. This is going to be a very hard choice for you to make. You might end up hurting one of them or both of them. I say choice wisely. Neither is a bad choice. Go with what you know and feel. Don't be afraid of making this decision. Your future still looks bright with either one of them".

Aria gave the woman a perplexed look. She didn't completely understand this prediction. She knew that without a doubt that she loved Adam, but could she possibly love Mr. Fitz too? She didn't think so. It couldn't be right. It had to be a mistake. The woman had to be wrong. She would know if she loved him or not. She didn't. That much was true. She would know in her heart of hearts if she did. She didn't want to think about it anymore. She would just chalk it up as being another one of the woman's inaccurate predictions.

"I can see a dark storm brewing over your future. This is bad. This is not good," Madam Jezebella said in a grave voice, her deep brown eyes losing their light. "Something bad will happen to someone you care deeply about. It could be a friend, a family member, a co-worker, or one your great loves. I have no idea. This tragedy with hurt you a lot, but you with manage. You will overcome it in time. Don't shut anyone out. Allow others to help you cope. Don't be afraid to ask for help".

She didn't want to dwell on the fact that she might lose someone she cared about. She wouldn't be able to handle losing someone else. Losing her sister Caroline was hard enough. She still experienced that heartache. She didn't want to go through that again. Madam Jezebella had to be wrong. She had to be.

"Could you somehow be wrong in these predictions?" Aria asked hopefully, wanting to know as her big doe like eyes pleaded with the woman.

"I sometimes could be wrong, but not in this case. I can clearly see in the palms of your hands," Madam Jezebella said as she traced a finger on one of the many lines in Aria's hands.

Aria shook her head. She wouldn't believe her. She was definitely wrong in this case. No one that she loved was going to die.

"I can see that someone new is going to enter your life, but I can't tell if it's a male or female," Madam Jezebella said frustratingly, having a hard time unraveling it. "This person will offer you love and friendship".

"When will I meet this person?" Aria asked, her curiosity piqued.

"That I can't tell you," Madam Jezebella disclosed, peering more into Aria's palms. "I see that an old boyfriend will re-enter your life. You might be drawn back to this person. This person might be the one you really end up being with. He looks… I don't know. He has black hair and black eyes. By your facial expression I can see that you know whom I'm speaking of. He's also handsome".

Of course Aria knew who she was talking about. She was speaking about Channing. He was the only guy that she had dated that had riveting black hair and black eyes. She gave that prevision a bit of thought. It had been months since she had last seen Channing.

"Of course you know the cards are not always accurate. As well as your future. The future is a tricky thing. It's always changing courses," Madam Jezebella divulged as she looked up from Aria's hands, before looking back down again. "And I see a child in your definite future. This child is so beautiful. I'm thinking a little boy. He is so precious. He will be very smart. Or it could be a little girl with golden hair, but I'm very sure it's a boy. This boy has dark lovely hair like yours. Such richness. I can't see what color are his eyes. Something is blocking me from making out the distinct color. Wait, I see it now. I can that he has green eyes. Such beautiful sea green eyes. Wait, now I'm seeing beautiful blue eyes. Such a great blue they are. Now his eyes are changing again. They are green again. Now they are blue once more. Back to green they go. You will be the deciding factor. He will be a great tennis player".

"Is one child all that you see?" Aria asked disappointedly, she was hoping to have more than one child at least.

She pulled one of her hands from out of the Madam Jezebella's grip, before using that same hand to rub circles over her stomach absentmindedly, picturing a small life growing inside of her.

"Wait, there is another child. I can't believe I didn't see her at first," The fortune teller said as she peered more closely at the palm of Aria's hand. "A girl this time. She's older than the little boy I saw at first. She's very gorgeous. She looks exactly like you. You both can be twins. The same beautiful hair as yours. The same length to be precise. She has beautiful blue eyes like her father, but they are the shape of your eyes. She will go down your same path. She will make the same choices that you made. She has your maturity. She loves you very dearly. She looks up to you. You're her idol. But this child wants to be born now. She wants life now. She wants to be with you now. Patience little girl. Your time is sooner than you think".

"What?" Aria asked in alarm, removing her hand from off her stomach as her voice rose high in hysterics. She couldn't have a child now. She was still young. She was still in high school. She still had her whole life in front of her. She couldn't make room for a child. Great fear gripped her. This couldn't be happening. "You must be mistaken. I can't have a child now".

"I'm not. This is the truth. You will become pregnant," The middle aged fortune teller revealed confidently. "You could either choose to have this little girl or not. There are different ways to end this child's life. You could terminate the pregnancy, have this child, or give this little girl up for adoption".

Aria was in apparent shock, her whole body shaking slightly as she took everything into consideration. She came to a quick conclusion that everything she was told were all lies. She didn't believe any of it. It was all just lies spewing from out of her mouth. This whole thing was just one great big sham after the other. Lies, lies, and more lies. How could this woman live with herself? Keep up this pretense? Scheming people out of their hard earn money? Aria thought, no longer willing to play the part of a naive fool. She could no longer hold in her disgust as she fixed the woman with icy eyes that could stop time. It was simple; they had been fools. They had so desperately wanted to believe in something. The woman had definitely played on their insecurities. She had taken advantage of all of them. She had probably charmed them with her words, beauty and outward appearance, and her harmless smiles as well. The woman literally made her sick. She had no sense of decency whatsoever. To prey on these unsuspecting people without a moment of guilt. Did she even lose a lack of sleep over her deceptions'? Did she get some kind of sick pleasure out of screwing with people's lives? Thinking that she could play god with their life? Having them believing in things that would probably never happen? The woman had, had her even going for a while.

She snatched her hand from out of the woman's clutches. Madam Jezebella was a fraud, and she was wrong. She had made a mistake coming there. She didn't believe in this. She didn't believe in any of it. Then why had she come? She asked herself, silently speaking in her head to some unknown person. Where had her voice of rationality been? What had been the driving force behind seeking out this excursion? Why hadn't see just gone with Adam in the first place? Avoided all this nonsense? She had no one to blame but herself. She had been moronic thinking that this could somehow been true. She wasn't going to have anyone's baby. She would decide her own fate. This was her body after all. She stared hard into other woman's face, feeling her anger engulfing her. She was definitely lying to scare her, or trying to extort extra cash from her. She wasn't so easily fooled. She didn't believe her. It wasn't possible. She was on birth control. She and Adam were using condoms. She got up rudely; the chair that she was previously sitting in fell backwards. She didn't make any moves to pick it up. The woman was nothing but a con artist. Aria gave the woman a nasty sneer, before grabbing her purse and walking out of the little shop without sparing the woman another look. She was boiling over with rage. She had somehow forgotten how to breathe properly. It was a struggle, but she had somehow gotten herself under control. That however, didn't completely quench her animosity towards the older woman. She was still rather heated.

Aria almost moaned as the nice outside air caressed her face, sucking in huge gulps of it. It tasted like heaven. She saw that the afternoon light had gone down. Nightfall had fallen drastically. Her teeth chattered together unnervingly, sounding harsh to her own ears. It was definitely colder than the other couple of nights she had been in New Orleans as she waded her way through the even more busier streets of the French Quarter as she made her way back to the spot her and Adam where going to meet up in. She couldn't stop herself from thinking back on what the woman had said. It wasn't the way she had said it, but what she had said in general. Had one word at least been true? She didn't want to think about it. It would just get her more upset than she already was. She grated her teeth together to stop its awful chattering as she shook her head, trying to block out the woman's words from her mind. She just wanted to erase ever going there to start with. She regretted her decision having ever gone there. Her sour mood lifted remarkably as she spotted Adam waiting by their cab, her full lips forming into a loving smile. He turned those sea green eyes on her and she melted like warm butter as Goosebumps crept up onto her skin, her body tingling all over. She knew that she would be able to forget in his arms. Knew that the memories of this night would soon fade like a distant dream. Knew that everything would be all right once she reached him. Once his arms wrapped around her whole body. She needed him. Wanted him. She wanted him to make love to her, to kiss her, touch and taste her, and to hold her. She started to run to him, her arms out-stretched as she slammed her body into his. Tonight she wanted to make more memories with him. To make love to him like she had never done so before.

**There you go. I hoped you guys loved this chapter just like I did. Don't forget to review! Always review. I so love reading you guys' thoughts. I'm so sorry for the long wait, but I have been really busy with work and other stuff. If I made any mistakes I apologize. I tried my best to take my time and proofread and make corrections. That's why it took me so long to update. This was the longest chapter. And I have plans to have the next chapter up this month as well. I don't know when, but it will be updated sometime this month. Thanks so much for taking the time to even read this story.**


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

**Ezra POV**

Ezra was awoken by the rather annoying blare of his hotel phone. He ignored it, not wanting to wake up fully from his somewhat peaceful sleep, but the persistent rings kept on coming. It grew louder and louder, determined to get his attention. He growled, before punching his pillow and pushing his covers off of him. All the while, the phone was steady ringing away. He sat up and stretched and yawned, before swinging his legs over the side of the bed. He then massaged his neck, before taking his hands and cracking it from side to side, still not reaching for the ringing phone as he worked the stiffness out of his neck. He yawned for a second time, before he cracked his knuckles, and then he ran his fingers through his bedridden hair, ruffling it some more. He stared evilly at the phone, before giving in and reaching over for it as he scooted closer to the edge of the cushy bed as his bare feet touched the spotless hardwood floor, loving how it felt against the soles of his feet.

"Hello," Ezra said groggily, yawning into the receiver as he scratched his well-formed bare skinned chest.

He was highly upset from being aroused from sleep. It was a wonder that his voice didn't convey it.

"It's me, Reed, "Said the identified caller over the other end of the phone.

"How have you been man?" Ezra asked considerately, his voice expressing startlement and implausibility.

He hadn't talked to Reed since last month. Since he had left him after his trip back from the hospital. A bit of sadness came over his eyes as he thought back to that day. Thought back on Reed's words to him. They had been very harsh, but very true nonetheless. He valued him more than ever because of that. Because he had been so hard on him. He hadn't said those things because he was trying to be nasty or mean, but because he had genuinely cared about him. He had just been frustrated and hadn't wanted to see his friend go down that path of self-destruction.

"A lot of things have happened. Samantha has moved in with me, teaching has never been better, and my team is going to nationals, but all that isn't the reason why I called," Reed said dismissively, before speaking with difficulty. "I'm not sorry for the things that I said to you, but I shouldn't have been so judgmental about it either. I value our friendship very much. We've been buddies for a long time. I don't want to lose our bond. Our bromance. You're like my brother. We've been through so much together. It's not my place to judge you or what you do with your own life. I can't tell you what to do or what not to do. You have to make that call. All I can offer you is my humble opinion".

"I didn't expect you to be sorry for what you said. What you said was honest, and I respect you more as a friend because of that," Ezra said as he stood up to stretch his legs, before sitting back down on the bed again. He stroked his chin absentmindedly. "I needed that lecture. I don't want you to feel like you can't be straight up with me. You're like my voice of reason when I can't be. I don't want to ruin our friendship because of my inappropriate feelings for a student. But, then again, I can't help the way I feel. In the beginning I tried so hard to not feel a certain way about Aria, but I couldn't fight my feelings in the end. I have to do what I think is right. And wanting to be with her is where my head is at".

"You say that you have feelings for her, but define your feelings. Is it love?" Reed asked him, not at all criticizing him or reading him the riot act, but wanting to understand where he was coming from.

"It's not love, but it's something more higher than just an attraction," Ezra tried his best to explain it without confusing him more, but he couldn't make sense of it himself.

"Does she know? If she does, then what did she say?" Reed inquired.

"Of course she knows, but I'm not going to pressure her. I don't want to rush her. This is something you can't just spring on someone," Ezra said with mild frustration in his voice as he rubbed his eyes none too gently. "I want to give her time. I want her to figure out what she wants. I want her to willingly choose me".

"Okay I've processed all of that, but what did she say when you told her that you have feelings for her?" Reed pressed, wanting him to reveal everything. "I want to have a better understanding of you and her".

"She said that she didn't feel the same way, and that she's in love with Adam," Ezra said tonelessly, remembering Aria's exact words so clearly.

"Ouch," Reed said expressively, picking up on Ezra's tone. "Who is this Adam person?

"A guy she's in a relationship with," Ezra said, not able to keep the bitterness out of his voice.

"What's holding her back besides this Adam guy?" Reed asked, probing deeper, knowing that there was more to it than that.

"Her distrust of me," Ezra said sadly, rubbing his eyes again, before releasing an agonizing breath. "She still hasn't forgiving me for leaving".

"You're only human, Ezra. You're bound to make a lot of mistakes," Reed stated plainly. "I suggest that you try winning back her trust and just try to talk to her and explain your real reasons for leaving, but don't make her listen. She has to want to listen. How serious are she and Adam? Does she really love him? Will she be willing to leave Adam for you?"

"They are pretty committed to one another. She loves him," Ezra said despairingly, shaking his head.

"Do you believe that?" Reed asked with skepticism, having a hard time grasping that.

"I doubt it, but she doesn't," Ezra said, running a confusing hand through his hair. "She believes that she does. Who I'm I to argue with her? She has said and shown it with such conviction".

"What are her feelings towards you? Can you honestly answer that?" Reed asked quietly, breathing a lot harder into the phone as he waited on Ezra's reply.

"I know that she's attracted to me," Ezra started off, before continuing in a disconnected voice. "But I know it's more than just a physical attraction on her end. I know that she feels something for me, but I also know that she's still confused and that she's stubborn".

"Again, will she willingly choose you over Adam?" Reed reiterated.

"I don't know," Ezra said with hesitancy. "I want her to. I want to believe that she will, but I have to be practical. She has to want me. She has to want to be with me".

"What are you hoping for Ezra?" Reed asked the question that he already knew the answer to.

"I'm hoping that she picks me. That she wants a relationship with me," Ezra answered truthfully, running another hand through his tousled hair, before resting his chin in his hand.

"What do you fear?" Reed asked, once again knowing the answer to his own question.

Ezra was quiet for a while, giving Reed's question a lot of thought, before answering when he felt sure of his response.

"I fear that she will not want me, like I want her," Ezra answered honestly as he could. "That she will continue to be with Adam and not give me and her chance. I know that it's complicated, impossible, and not right on some level, but somehow I don't care. I don't care about the statistics".

"So, if she does decide that she wants to be with you, how are you going to explain it to her parents, the school board, and the whole town? I mean Rosewood is a small place," Reed said in all seriousness, wanting to know Ezra's plan.

"I have not thought that far ahead yet," Ezra admitted without reserve. "I don't care about myself getting a lot of backlash for it, but I don't want Aria getting ridiculed for this when it gets out".

"Do you know that there's a possibility that you will face charges and that you'll likely lose your teaching license?" Reed asked directly, wanting Ezra to grasp the severity of the situation.

"I know, but I think I'm willing to risk it," Ezra said with so much certainty in his voice.

"Maybe that should give you something to really think about before you go ahead with this," Reed said wisely.

"Maybe," Ezra said thoughtfully.

"Ezra, I'm not telling you to stop having feelings for her, but to not commit all of yourself. Leave room for other options. If an opportunity arises, don't think or hesitate. Go for it".

"Thanks, mother, "Ezra said with a bit of humor in his voice, but he still took Reed's words into consideration.

"I'm being serious. Don't just hold off for her," Reed said, getting his point across.

"I hear what you're saying," Ezra said soberly, all traces of humor leaving his voice.

"So, how is New Orleans?" Reed asked, changing the subject.

Ezra couldn't have been happier.

"That's easy. I love it here," Ezra said, before stifling another yawn with his hand, and then he got up to stretch his legs again.

He was becoming restless.

"When are you guys leaving?" Reed wanted to know.

"Tomorrow," Ezra clarified as he massaged his temples soothingly, before he cradled the phone between his ear and right shoulder, walking over towards the window that overlooked his balcony to look down below.

The drop down was a fatal one.1006 Royal St. was already swarming with people as they bustled along. From where he was, he saw that they resembled ants marching to some unknown part of town.

"Look, I'll talk to you once you get back," Reed's rumbling voice came back to him at the other end of the receiver. He had no idea that he had grown silent. He took a few seconds to reprimand himself introspectively. "I'm heading into the school building now. You know that's one of the rules for even the teachers. No cell phones unless for emergencies'".

"Talk to you later, Reed," Ezra said as he walked over to his bed, and then he hung the phone up on its base.

He smiled to himself, liking that him and Reed were back on the right track. He loved that they had talked. He had no regrets' when he thought back on their conversation. He was glad that he had been able to express his feelings for Aria so openly with him. He was glad that he wasn't keeping any secrets from his best buddy anymore. He had laid all his thoughts, hopes, and fears out there for Reed to know. He was glad that Reed hadn't judged him. That he had given him some good advice and feedback. He headed into the bathroom to pee and wash his face, and then he went back into his room to throw on his workout clothes, scrambling for the articles' of clothing that were carelessly slung across a chair. This was his morning routine since being in New Orleans. Every morning when he woke up, he headed downstairs to have breakfast at the coffee shop, and then he headed to the gym for an intense workout session. He didn't mind the solitude. On some mornings Gregory Wallace even joined him, but today wasn't the case. His workout attire consisted of a pair of black and red baggy shorts, a white t-shirt, and a pair of grey, red, and white tennis shoes.

He grappled for his blue water bottle from out of the in room refrigerator, then he pocketed his wallet, key card, and cell phone, and then he left out of the door, making his journey downstairs. He reflected back on the knowledge that Aria didn't hate him anymore. He still couldn't believe it, but he wasn't complaining either. For so long she had despised him. He had wanted this to happen. He had begged for it. He had once thought that she would never get over her anger towards him. He was pleased to see that he had been wrong. It had torn him up inside to see her display such hatred towards him. Aria definitely knew the meaning of being cold. Such ice, anger, and indifference had met him each time he had gone to talk to her. He thanked the heavenly figure up there in the sky for that moment at the fair.

For a short time, Ezra was seemingly thrown off balance as he spotted Adam sneaking quietly out of Aria's hotel room as he turned down a corner. He had his shirt in one hand and his shoes in the other as he trudged down the hallway back to his own room. Ezra couldn't see straight. He couldn't think. Every emotion that he was experiencing just came right at him all at once, nearly crippling him. He couldn't comprehend what was really happening in front of him. He so wanted his eyes to be playing a cruel trick on him, but no matter how many times he blinked, he still saw Adam walking down the hall shirtless and barefoot. The only coherent thought that went through his mind was that they were sleeping together. That Aria was sleeping with Adam. For how long? The voice in his head screamed. Was it their first time, second or third? Maybe fourth time? Did she prefer Adam over him? Was he better in bed than Ezra was? Was he bigger in size? Did he satisfy her? Did she cum? Did she orgasm over and over like she did with him? Were they even using condoms'? All these tortured questions bombarded his mind.

Ezra stopped in his tracks and gripped the wall for some kind of support, breathing noisily through his nose as his nostrils flared evenly. He wanted to punch something. Someone. He just felt so much fury and hurt go through him, feeling as a sharp pain shot through his chest. He had to release all the anger that was inside of him. He felt like he was going crazy, feeling as a second sharp pain went through his heart, causing him to cry out as the ache increased, but that didn't stop his resentment from soaring. Rage obscured his vision, and before he knew it, he was going after Adam, his blood rushing to his ears as he bounded towards him at full speed. He wanted to beat Adam to a bloody pulp, and he wanted to confront him. He wanted to confront the both of them. He couldn't believe that they had disregarded his rule for not engaging in any type of sexual intercourse. He felt like he could do a whole lot of damage if he got his arms around Adam's scrawny neck. He thought about how much pressure he could add to his trachea as he wrapped more of his fingers around his neck, cutting of his air circulation as he squirmed against him. Those thoughts were enough stop him in his footsteps as he got himself under control.

He quickly came to his common sense, re-thinking his decision. He couldn't attack a student. He breathed in and out deeply, snuffing out the last of his anger. He calmly thought about Aria. He didn't want to ruin his chances with her by hurting Adam and confronting her. He realized that he couldn't just act like some jealous manic every time it came to her and Adam. He had to be smarter about it. He had to focus on getting her to choose him. Not fly off the handle. He had to get her to see that she wanted to be with him, like he wanted to be with her. He just had to fight much harder to get her without necessarily pushing her. He didn't care about Adam or his relationship with Aria. It wasn't about him. It was about getting Aria to leave him for Ezra. Founding out that she was sleeping with Adam wasn't going to change that. Yeah it hurt and angered him, but he had to get over it. He continued down to the coffee house, smelling the aroma of fresh pastries before he even reached the door. He brought himself a Pecan and maple Danish puff pastry and a cup of Java as he run into Gregory. They found themselves at table and sat down to enjoy their breakfast.

"What do you have plan for today?" Gregory Wallace asked him, right before he bit into his éclair.

"I have to go out and find me a costume for the street festival tonight. Problem is, I don't know what I'm going to be," Ezra said as he sipped his hot Java slowly, trying not to burn his tongue or throat. "What do you have planned? I know me and you talk about combining our group with Mrs. Baker, and Mrs. McRay's today".

"I already found me a costume. I found it at that place called LeGarage Antiques and Clothing on 1234 Decatur Street," Gregory said as he dapped at his mouth with a napkin, before picking up his cappuccino. "And since you're heading out to find a costume for the festival tonight, I'll just take our group to be with Catherine and Silvia".

"Are you sure about that?" Ezra asked as he popped a piece of pastry into his mouth, his tongue sorting out the flavors'.

"I'm sure," Gregory said adamantly as he ate some more of his éclair, and then he took a third bite into the creamy pastry.

"Okay," Ezra said as he stuffed more of his Pecan and maple Danish into his mouth, and then he picked up his coffee again to wash it down. "Where are you guys taking the club members?"

"On a tour to look at some old plantations, and then we are going to take them out to eat somewhere," He gave a verbal account as he looked at Ezra over the brim of his cup, before drinking his cappuccino.

"Now I kind of hate that I'm going to be missing out on that," Ezra said laughing as he finished off his cup of Java.

"You're welcome to re-join us anytime," Gregory said as he ate the last of his éclair. "There are a lot of plantations around here. We could be all morning as well as the afternoon looking at them".

"Do you have a tour guide for me?" Ezra asked him, tearing off more layers of his pastry as he pushed them into his mouth.

"Yeah, here," Gregory said as he handed Ezra a folded up tour guide.

"Thanks," Ezra thanked him as he slid the guide into one of his big pockets.

He polished off the last of his pastry, before getting up and leaving out of the coffee shop to head to the gym. There were only a few people in the fitness center when he arrived. Aria was one of those few people. She didn't yet notice him as she ran on the treadmill, her long dark hair swinging from side to side in its ponytail at the back of her head as beads of sweat trickled down her temples and glistened on her chest. He decided to let her notice him first as he looked her over. She had on a purple sports bra that enhanced her full sized breasts and outlined her nipples, a pair of black biker shorts that squeezed her ass and thighs, and she had on a pair of white tennis shoes. He couldn't stop his eyes from traveling back up her curvaceous body, nor stop the pull in his shorts.

He tore his gaze from off of her, but not before chastising himself for behaving like some lustful school aged boy. He reminded himself that she was still his student, and that she was still young. He walked over to the exercise bench to begin his workout by lifting some weights. He wasn't there to hassle Aria, soon forgetting that she was even there. He felt the stinging burn in his shoulders and arms as he lifted the long weight bar up and down, then he moved over to the exercise bike, feeling the burn in his thighs and legs and then he went over to the mirrors to jump rope as he felt the tingling in his arms and legs, and then he headed over to the sunny twister stepper, feeling the burn in his buttocks and thighs.

Ezra didn't realize how much time had gone by as he kept up his fierce workout. He lifted small dumbbells to work on his muscle mass in his arms, and then he did some hard exercises using an exercise ball and Ab wheel, feeling the burn and results in his shoulders, forearms and stomach, thighs, and his feet. He was sweating ridiculously when he got up from off the floor, and then he went over to the black exercise mat to do some sit-ups and push-ups, but not before taking off his soaked shirt as he threw it aside. The pain and burn was hasher than before because he was aiming for his abs and the muscles in his back. He could feel the sweat dripping from off of him as he pushed himself over and over, wanting to feel more of the burn. He felt a lot of burn as he increased his pectoral muscles and his biceps, feeling his skin tightening up.

When he finished, he got up from the mat, hearing a loud gasp followed by a small moan. He thought that he had misheard it, but he was sure that he hadn't. His eyes searched around, coming to rest on Aria. She had stopped her work out on the treadmill and was watching him. How long had she been staring at him? He didn't know. She bit down on her bottom lip, and then she fanned herself, before she wiped a hand across her forehead. He flashed a smile, pretending not to notice that she had been watching him. She smiled back unsurely, before brushing away strands of hair from off of her forehead and neck. He went to go grab a white towel from off the stainless-steel towel rack, feeling her eyes still on him. He used the towel to wipe his face, down his chest and abdomen, and legs, before discarding the towel on the floor. His eyes then met hers again, offering up another smile. She wasn't even trying to hide her flushed face or move her eyes away. What was she thinking? Feeling he wondered.

He walked over towards her, seeing a flash of panic cross her face before she looked away from him, biting down harder on her lower lip. He hopped onto the treadmill beside hers, hearing as she started up hers again. He started up his own machine and set the pace as he started to walk, making sure to glance over in her direction to see her refusing to meet his eyes. She was really beautiful. Her beauty never ceases to amaze him. He wanted her to belong to him in every way that was possible. She didn't understand how much he wanted her.

"Hi, Aria," Ezra said with a smile as his hands gripped the handlebars, starting up the conversation between them.

"Hey, Mr. Fitz," Aria said softly, before clearing her throat.

She was still avoiding his eyes. Why was that?

"So, is this your first time here?" Ezra asked, glancing over at her again, seeing as she blushed profusely.

He had never known her to blush before, what had changed? He asked himself.

"Guilty," Aria smiled as she looked over at him for the time since he had been over there with her. "It's my first time coming here. I just felt like working out. Does that make any sense at all?

"Sure it does," Ezra said as his eyes stared into hers.

She nodded her head mindfully; pulling her eyes away from his to punch the up arrow on her display meter. Ezra did the same.

"How long have you been coming here?" Aria asked wispily as she started to jog.

"Every morning since I've been here," Ezra answered with a smile on his lips.

She pouted cutely in thought.

"Sound like someone's devoted," Aria teased, before smirking over at him.

"Maybe," Ezra teased back, pushing his up arrow two more times as he started to walk much faster.

"I really hope you're not trying to outdo me on this treadmill," Aria said teasingly again, another smirk forming on her soft mouth.

"Oh, I wouldn't dream of it," Ezra said with mocked innocence, his own mouth curving up into a teasing smile.

"Yeah, okay Mr. innocent," Aria said as she laughed zealously, tossing her long ponytail dramatically, and then she pressed her up arrow one more time as she jogged a little faster, panting slightly.

He just smirked, catching her eyes. He liked that they could joke and play around like this. He wanted more of these moments.

"Do you like it here in New Orleans?" Ezra asked her, before drinking some cold water from his water bottle, wishing that he could offer her some.

"I do. Everything's really beautiful," Aria said as she bit her bottom lip, before running her pink tongue out along the satiny surface. "I love all the sights, but I really love the food. I know that I've probably gain weight, but I don't care. New Orleans has the best food in the world. So much better than all the places I have been. Do you like it here?"

"I love it here too," Ezra said as he nodded his dark head. "I love the people here more than anything, the shops and art galleries, and the theater. Going to the theater and watching a play reminded me of my drama days in high school. Believe it or not, I was pretty damn good at it. I even studied a bit at Hollis. What's your favorite place?"

" Gosh, I don't know. I love so many places," Aria said, a smile filling her voice as she gazed over at him, having a hard time deciding. "What about you? I'm sure you know. You know everything".

"I'm flattered you would think that, but I don't know the answer to that question either," Ezra laughed, not able to look away from her smiling face. It was a lovely sight. It was a nice change. "Okay, then, what's your favorite food?"

"Definitely the shrimp and grits," Aria laughed flirtatiously, her big brown eyes twinkling brightly. "What's your favorite dish here?"

"Crawfish and corn on the cob served with a side of beer," Ezra related, before hitting his up arrow three more times as he broke out in a run, breathing much faster than before. "I'm very glad that you and the other poetry club members' like it here".

"Are you going to the street festival tonight?" Aria asked as she used her right hand to knock away a loose strand of hair that got into her eye.

"That's the plan at least," Ezra said as he saw the attractive tattoo stamped on her flawless skin, and then he drank some more of his cold water. "Are you going?"

"Yes, me and Adam both," Aria told him, looking over to gauge his reaction to the news of her and Adam. "Of course the other club members' are going to".

"I figured as much," Ezra said bitingly as he clenched his jaw, not caring if Aria had heard. "Just be careful".

She was quiet for a few minutes, looking at him from out the corner of her eye, before she looked away. A curious expression marred her face.

"Why does that woman keep staring over here at us?" Aria asked offhandedly, staring off in the woman's direction.

"Who?" Ezra asked, following Aria's eyes to see a nice looking woman with short black hair indeed staring at him and Aria.

But her eyes lingered on Ezra, her lips twisting up into a sexy smile.

"I think she likes you," Aria said with laugher, seeing the woman's smile at Ezra. "I can't say I blame her".

"I don't think so," Ezra lied, caught off guard by Aria's admission.

"Sure she does. She's lusting after you," Aria said with banter, glancing at the woman coldly. "I think I'll go over there to prove my point".

"Aria, don't," Ezra said, but Aria ignored him as she jumped off of her treadmill, and then she walked over to where the woman was, which was on the exercise bike.

He could only look on as Aria chatted animatedly with the other woman, before she glared back over at him, and then she took off brusquely, grabbing her towel and workout bag on the way out. He got down from off the treadmill, and then he headed over to meet Aria, a nasty smirk shaping her beautiful mouth, and her brown eyes were gleaming wickedly. He automatically knew that she had done something to get the woman upset. He didn't know whether to laugh or scold her.

"I knew that she wanted you," Aria said as though she had proven her point. "Can you believe that she thought that I was your sister? I mean I'm offended".

She laughed, no longer able to hold back.

"What did you tell her?" Ezra asked, suppressing the urge to laugh. "I couldn't help noticing how she left out of here pretty fast".

"I told her that you were pretty lousy in bed," Aria laughed again, seeing his shocked expression.

"You didn't," Ezra said laughing rather loudly as he stared down into Aria's face.

"I did," Aria said with a careless shrug when she had stopped laughing, chewing on her bottom lip.

"I happen to remember you quoting that I was a wonderful lover," Ezra said thoughtlessly, still laughing, not realizing that he had slipped up until he saw the smile on Aria's face changed into a frown, her lips pressed together tightly.

They both were quiet, until Aria spoke softer than she ever had.

"You are. I've never lied about that," Aria said breathless, looking up into his eyes.

He tilted his head to the side, looking at her questioningly. The room was becoming thick with awkward tension between them. He took a step closer to her, closing the small gap that had been between them, his hand shooting out to push a lock of hair back behind her left ear. Her eyes seemed to glaze over as her hand came up to push against his damp chest, a little groan escaping his mouth at her touch, and then her other hand joined the first one. He didn't know what was happening. She broke him. He felt his heart thumping fast underneath her hand. Did she feel it? Did she see how much he wanted her? Needed her? She didn't remove them. She just kept them there. Still. A long winded sigh emitted from her. It was the most wonderful thing he had ever heard.

"Aria," Ezra begged thickly, his voice filling with want as his eyes got darker.

What did he want? What was he asking for?

"We can't," Aria whispered as her eyes continued to hold his, her fingers dragging down his front.

He bit his lip at the gut reaction it caused.

"Aria, please," Ezra begged again, his head leaning down towards hers as his lips hovered inches upon hers.

He sucked in her breath. Her smell, mixed with flowers and sweat, his eyes closing to hold off his lust.

"No," Aria said strongly, before she pulled back. "I can't do this. It's not right. But, god, how I want to".

He went to step closer to her again, but she shoved him away. He was becoming frustrated with all the mixed signals she was given off.

"Don't!" Aria screamed, getting angry. "I'm just so confused right now. I don't know what I want, but I'm supposed to be with Adam. I shouldn't feel this way with you. I don't want to feel this way. I hate it".

She turned and left out of the gym, throwing her gym bag over her shoulder.

Ezra brushed his teeth and showered when he got back into his hotel room. He didn't bother shaving. He much liked the short prickly hair on his cheeks and chin. He got ready to leave again as he got dress, throwing on a green polo shirt that made his arms appear much muscular, a pair of blue jeans that hung low off his hip bones, and a pair of brown leather converse by John Varvatos Chuck Taylor high top shoes on his feet, and then he called his taxi cab, before heading downstairs to wait.

He went to New Orleans Party and Costume shop on Camp Street in the Central Business District. It was about eight miles. He was ashamed to even admit that neither he nor the other teachers that had come to New Orleans with him had ever been outside of the enchanting French Quarter neighborhood. Somehow he had finally broken that stigma. He didn't mind venturing out by himself. In fact, he rather needed some time alone. He needed some time to think, breathe, and to collect his thoughts. He needed to get away from the hotel for a few hours. He had to get away from the students, the other teachers, but especially Aria. Aria always invaded his thoughts. Always got underneath his skin. Always made him forget everything that was logic. He just wanted…her. He needed… to feel her. To fill her body up with him. To give her such agonizing pleasure. He didn't know if he could be patient any longer. Most definitely not after that episode between them. It wasn't just about sex, or about feeling a strong sense of desire for her. No. It was about what he intended to give her. He would give her his body and what he felt for her. He shook his head tiredly, running an exhausting hand down his frowning face. He thought about what he had almost done to her back at the hotel. What he had wanted to do. Would she have allowed him? He was almost certain of it if he had pressed hard enough.

He hadn't realized that the taxi cab had come to a stop until the car gave a sudden jerk, momentarily bringing him out of his stewing. He was partially thankful for the distraction, before he paid off the taxi driver, and then he hopped out of the low-set vehicle. He then headed inside the store. He scoped out this new environment. The specialty store was fairly big with a lot of open space to walk around. It was set up and displayed artistically. It had everything you would imagine a costume and party supply shop would have. He couldn't help noticing mannequins dressed in a variety of costumes set up throughout the store. The store had costumes ranging from doctors, nurses and fireman, fairytale characters and creatures, policemen and women, sailors and pilots, gods and goddess, vampires and werewolves, superheroes' for both male and female, witches and wizards', cowboys and Indians', genies, angels, mobsters, flappers and showgirls, old fashioned, Egyptians', the twenties, sixties, and seventies, etc. They even had party supplies for birthdays, Christmas and Thanksgiving, Halloween, Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day and Easter, Cinco de Mayo, the 4th of July, and many other occasions.

It wasn't long for he found the right costume. He chose a classic mobster one. It wasn't really his style, but it was a night to be different. The costume came with a black shirt with an attached black and white pinstripe vest, a black jacket and a long red tie, black dressy pants, a black fedora hat with a long white stripe going around the hat, and a pair of black shiny loafers. The only things that the costume was missing were a cigar and a plastic toy gun. Next he looked for a mask, founding a Venetian red velvet male mask. It was a nicely crafted plastic mask with gold rick rack trimmings and attached ribbons. He thought that it would go in with his red tie. He paid for his items at the front, spending a total of fifty bucks, then he took hold of his bag, and then he left out the store. He whistled for another taxi cab, watching on as a blue and green taxi stopped in front of him. He placed his bag in, and then he followed afterwards into the cab, giving the driver his next coordinates. It was getting to be late in the afternoon.

His next stop was to the Cajun Cabin back in the French Quarter area. It took about seven minutes to get there. He sat back and enjoyed the gorgeous scenery passing him by. It was still surreal to believe that he was really in New Orleans. He was happy that he had decided to come there. In one way or another, he knew that this trip would be the most memorable. They were at the bar in record time. He fished a few bills out of his wallet, then he took hold of his bag and got out of the taxi, and then he headed inside the pub. From first stepping foot into the bar he knew that the bar was very different from any of the drinking establishments' he had gone to back in Rosewood, or even in New York City. The Cajun Cabin was upbeat. Boisterous. Compacted. Secluded, and agreeable. The atmosphere was also very welcoming as he took a seat at the bar and put his shopping bag on the barstool next to him. A willowy bartender with long gorgeous blonde hair in a ponytail and a friendly smile on her generous lips bounced over to him. She was very bubble as her celestial blue eyes stared into his. There was something about her. He couldn't place it. He saw that she was very pretty with her golden brown tan as she got closer towards him, her smile widening. He couldn't stop himself from smiling back, nor get his eyes to unglue from her. It was like she couldn't do the same. He didn't found himself having nervous jitters at her impending approach. It was strange. He moved his eyes from hers just long enough to sweep them over her person to see that she was wearing a tight dark blue uniform shirt with her job's logo on it, a pair of black shorts that hugged her thighs and a black apron tied about her slender waist, and a pair of white sneakers on her feet, before his eyes stared back into hers again. She had a great body, feeling as a wave of desire washed over him. He had to get laid badly, using one of his hands to press down on his crotch.

"Hi, there, I'm Brittany and I'm going to be your server. Here's your menu," Brittany said in her sweet southern accent as she handed him his menu, her huge smile never leaving her face. "Just take a few minutes to decide what you want, and I'll be right back".

He watched as she saunter down the bar, seeing to her other customers. He saw that she was very attentive as she served them at the bar, talking, smiling, and laughing with them as she fixed their drinks or handed them their plate of food. She knew all of them by their names. He looked away from her to scan his menu, already knowing what he wanted as she came back over towards him.

"Have you already decided on what you're getting? Or would you just rather start off with an appetizer?" Brittany asked chirpily, her eyes smiling as she took out her pencil and little notepad to write down his order. "We really do serve the best appetizers here".

"I think I'll start with one of your appetizers. Which one is your most popular dish?" Ezra asked with a smile upon his lips, noting that her eyes were clear as the sky.

"Okay. Actually, we have two favorite dishes. The debris fries, and the spinach and artichoke dip," Brittany read off as she leaned over the top of the bar to peep at his menu. His nostrils flared. She smelled good. "Which one would you like? I like the spinach and artichoke dip myself".

"I'll take the spinach and artichoke dip since you like that one best," Ezra said fluently as he relaxed more into his chair, her face showing that she was clearly flabbergasted at his choice.

"Are you sure? Because I don't want you getting something you might not like," Brittany laughed lightheartedly, writing it down on her notepad.

"Positive," Ezra said, liking her smile and laugh more and more.

"Don't say I didn't warn you. Can I get you something to drink? We have a whole selection," Brittany said with a bubbly smile as she pointed towards the many alcohol bottles that were behind her. "I make a killer whiskey".

"Let me have a whisky then, just so I can see if you can live up to that title," Ezra laughed, challenging her playfully.

"I'm going to prove you right, just so I can see that little smile of yours die on your mouth," Brittany giggled, leaving no room for doubt as she accepted his challenge. "What type of whisky would you like? Irish? Bourbon or German? Or Scotch?"

"A scotch will be fine," Ezra said with a sly smile, watching as she turned around to grab the tall whisky bottle off the shelf, then she reached down below her to retrieve a small shot glass, before sitting everything on top of the bar as she started to make his drink. He had to admit that he was very impressed with the set of skills she displayed as she mixed his drink. "Don't forget the ice".

She just nodded her head, smiling as she added his ice with an ice tong, before tossing the bottle up, then she dribble some into the glass, and then she pushed it to him, watching as he drank some.

"Good, "He said after he had chugged down his drink, his smile wavering. "I'll admit when I'm wrong".

"That's good to know," Brittany jived, smiling over her shoulder at him as she put the whisky bottle back onto the shelf, and then she turned back around to face him, picking her pencil and notepad up again. "Do you want to order your entrée after you've eaten your appetizer?"

"I'll do that, but first I would like another one of your awesome Scotches'," Ezra said as he nudged his shot glass over towards her. "I think I'm addicted now".

She smiled and compiled with his request.

"Duty calls," Brittany mused, her accent more pronounced, before she moved along to her newest customer.

"I'll be waiting here," Ezra chuckled, keeping his eyes fixed on her as she went about her rounds as she served more drinks and fed more orders to the cook through the little window like frame.

"My feet are killing me," Brittany said as she came back, dumping his dish in front of him.

"So, take a load off," Ezra told her as he began to eat his appetizer.

"Oh, how, I wish I could," Brittany said dreamily as she took one of his tortilla chips and dipped it in the creamy parmesan sauce, and then she put it into her mouth.

He laughed and shook his head at her brazen behavior, offering the basket over to her.

"Thanks," Brittany said with a smile as she leaned over to take him up on his offer. "So, what's your name? I know you're new here. I've never seen you here before. I know every person name in this bar".

"It's Ezra Fitz," He said as his hand reached across hers to grab for a tortilla chip.

"I like it. It sounds catchy," Brittany smiled, her hand brushing against his as she popped her tortilla chip into her mouth, munching on it thoughtfully. "So, do you stay here? Or are you just visiting?"

"I'm visiting. I'm a school teacher and I brought my poetry club members' here," Ezra said as he licked the sauce off his finger, before reaching for another chip.

"Where do you live?" Brittany asked, laughing as she too licked the creamy sauce off of her own finger.

"I'm from Pennsylvania. I stay in a little town called Rosewood," Ezra informed her. "Where are you from? Do you stay here?"

"Yeah, I was born and raised in this part of New Orleans," Brittany said as took the whisky bottle from behind to re-fill his glass. "What hotel or bed and breakfast are you staying in? And how long are you here for?

"I'm staying at the Royal hotel, and tomorrow is my last day here," Ezra said as he drank some of his whisky, before putting a hand over his mouth to burp. "How long have you worked here? Do you like it?"

"I've worked here since I was a freshman in college," Brittany said as she brought a glass from down below to pour some whisky for herself. "And I love bartending. It's what I'm mostly good at. My father was even one. I grew up watching him".

"So, that's how you learned to do all that cool stuff like tossing a bottle into the air?" Ezra inquired with a laugh, watching her eyes light up.

"A little, but I mostly learned from taking some mixology classes," Brittany said proudly with a cute smile, before she tossed her drink back. "So, you're a poetry teacher?"

"No, I am an English teacher," Ezra corrected her as he shoved the empty basket away from him. "I have a poetry club".

"I was never any good at English, but I was an okay history and math student," Brittany said with a bubbly laugh, before leaving to serve more customers.

He waited until she got finished taking orders and preforming more bar tricks as she mixed drinks.

"Are you ready for your entrée?" Brittany asked as she pulled out a white rag to wipe down the bar and cleaned up trash and dirty dishes, piling them up to take to the back.

"Certainly, what comes in the crawfish platter?" Ezra asked, thinking about having that.

"It comes with fried crawfish tails and crawfish etouffee with corn fritters, fries, and coleslaw," Brittany named off precisely as she balanced the plates in her arms. "Do you want that?"

"Yes, let me get that," Ezra said as his eyes followed her as she placed his order, and then she headed to the back.

She stopped to re-fill some drinks, and then she made her way back over towards him.

"So, you never told me your last name," Ezra said, really wanting to know everything about her.

"It's Taylor," Brittany enunciated in her sweet little accent he was coming to like very much.

"I have to ask, are you single?" Ezra babbled like an idiot as he came on to her, running a hand through his hair, before he shook his head.

He wanted to know. He liked her. She was attractive, funny, and a bubbly person.

"I am, are you?" Brittany flirted back just as imperfectly, her eyes devouring his as she smiled rollickingly.

"I'm not seeing anyone else," Ezra said honestly, smiling as he waited on her to make the next move.

He wasn't lying. He wasn't in any type of relationship at the present time. He found himself reflecting back on Reed's words from earlier that day.

"Maybe we could meet up later tonight?" Brittany suggested, loveable dimples showing up in both of her cheeks as she smiled. "Are you going to the street festival tonight?"

"I brought a costume," Ezra said as he lifted his bag onto the bar top to show her his costume.

"Now I'll know what you'll be wearing," Brittany simpered as she looked through the bag.

"What's going to be your costume?" Ezra asked as he set his bag back down on the empty barstool next to him.

"I'm going to be dress up as a flapper from the 1920's," Brittany said comically as she placed both of her hands on her hips, before collecting the tips on the bar that her patrons had left for her. "We'll just make sure to exchange phone numbers before you walk out of here tonight".

"I'm going to hold you up to that promise," Ezra smiled sportingly as he regarded her as she walked off to attend to some of her unhappy clientele.

"I'll be holding you up to that promise as well!" Brittany yelled at him from over her shoulder, wanting to be heard over the loud noises that filled the bar.

Ezra wandered out into the French Quarter street festival that was located in the main square part of town. The air was cool, crisp, and filled with so many different aromas. He inhaled deeply, taking everything mixed together into the air up into his nasal cavity. He felt slightly drunk. Light-headed. Exultant. Lascivious. The feeling was insatiable. He didn't know what provoked these emotions in him. He couldn't stop them. He didn't try to fight them. It immobilized all of his senses. His ear perked up upon hearing all of the merging musical sounds that hindered the night atmosphere. It was jazz tunes, Rhythm and blues, soul and R&B, reggae, Indian and swamp pop, Cajun, Zydeco and rock-in-roll, gospel, country and Caribbean, African, Latin and Folk, New Orleans funk, classical, and swing. All these beautiful sounds were interweaving together as he threaded his way cautiously through the overcrowded streets of the French Quarter, spotting out the many different vendors that were either selling food, soft and alcoholic drinks, one-of-a- kind homemade arts and crafts, clothing and jewelry, handbags, shoes, books and movies, and souvenirs, or offering tarot readings, games for prizes and face painting, cartoonish drawings, picture taking, contests', and much more.

He thought of Brittany. He thought of her clear blue eyes that were so like his, but just a shade lighter. Thought about how they were so magnetizing. Erotic even. Thought of her thick shiny long blonde hair that had reflected so awesomely against the fluorescent lights of the bar. About the cute little dimples' in both of her cheeks when she had smiled at him. He thought of her bubbly personality. Thought of her sweet southern accent that sparked something foreign inside of him, and he thought about her pretty features. She was quite the opposite of Aria. He couldn't deny that he wasn't attracted to her. That he didn't find her good looking. He was amazed at how well they had just clicked. It had been so instantly. How they had talked so naturally without the fear of having awkward pauses. She was a nice person. She had kept him engaged throughout their conversation. He was most definitely looking forward to getting to know her better.

Why shouldn't he go for it? Why shouldn't he take a chance with her? It wouldn't change how he felt about Aria. He was confident in his feelings for Aria. His feelings for Aria went deeper. Much deeper. They just wouldn't go away, or be pushed to the sidelines just because someone new came into his life. Brittany was no Aria, and Aria was no Brittany. They were both two completely separate women. He wasn't afraid to start something with her. He wasn't reluctant to see where this went. He didn't fear developing feelings for her. Nothing was holding him back, or keeping him from diving head first. He wasn't in a committed relationship. Aria was with Adam for the time being. She wasn't in a relationship, or seeing anyone else. There was no real harm in exploring this. Who said that it would become something serious? That she would want more or him for that matter? Who is to say if it would work out? If they could handle the distance separating them? He had done the whole long distance before. It hadn't worked. All he knew was that this whole thing was new and uncomplicated. He could already tell that things with Brittany wouldn't be complicated or full of drama. He could be patient as he saw where things led with him and Brittany as he waited on Aria to decide what she wanted. He didn't think that would be unfair or selfish. He wouldn't let things get too serious with Brittany unless there was a strong possibility that Aria would choose him over Adam.

He was supposed to meet up with Brittany there at the festival. He kept his eyes peeled as he searched out the large crowd of people, trying to locate a flapper from the 1920's in the jumble mass of people. It was supposed to be her choice of costume. It was like looking for Waldo. He had to sort through each individual costume as his eyes zoomed around in search of her. She had said that she would be there. That she would be dressed up as a flapper. He hoped that she hadn't changed her mind. He wanted to see her again. It didn't matter to him that he had her phone number, or that she had his. He wanted to see her again in person. He wanted to finish what they had started back at the Cajun Cabin. His obedient eyes continued to look through the multitude of people, not finding his target, or anyone else remotely similar with that same description. He began to lose hope, soon losing sight of his objective as he watched the live dancing going on around him. It was remarkable. It was like something he had never seen before. So many people had shown up to the festivity. His fixed gaze left the dancers as he looked at all the tents, tables, and chairs set up all over the place as he shouldered his way through the group of people. He bypassed fairies, mermaids and hippies, pirates, superhero's from both the justice league and avengers, people from the fifties, medieval and renaissance era, clowns, belly dancers and Egyptians', princesses and princes, witches and vampires, roman gladiators, cheerleaders and football players, Goths, star wars and avatar characters', ninjas, firemen and policemen, celebrities', Michael Jackson costumes, and so many more people dressed up in well thought-out costumes.

Ezra walked over to vendor closest to him that sold all kinds of beverages. He wasn't hungry, still feeling stuffed from his meal earlier that afternoon. He just wanted some alcohol and to relax and enjoy the night. He decided to order one of New Orleans famous drinks. He took a menu and looked down the list of alcoholic drinks, his mouth nearing salivating at his many choices. It didn't want anything too strong that would get him drunk before the night was over with. He decided to get one drink, decreasing his chances of getting drunk. He settled for the Sazerac. It sounded tasty and up his alley. He paid the overweight operative, before taking hold of his drink as he cradled his old-fashioned chilled shot glass and eyed-balled the people standing around that particular stand as he lazily sipped his alcohol, letting out a long whistle as the contents trekked down his throat, burning a path all the way down to his belly. He grunted against the continuous burning sensation, before drinking more of his drink. It was the greatest thing that he had ever tasted, especially when he sucked on his little spiral of lemon that had come with it. It was stronger than he had wanted it to be, but at that point he pretty much didn't care as he drained the last of his drink, putting in another order, before reaching down deep into his pockets to find his wallet, and then he counted off the small bills, before slapping them down onto the window-sill like counter.

He took hold of his second drink before he moved along once more, not coming into contact with any of his poetry club members' or the teachers that had come to New Orleans with them. He had wanted to forbid the members' from coming to the street festival, but he had unwisely given in. He felt like the festival was far too adult rated for them. That it wasn't appropriate. That it could be very influencing. He just didn't think it was a place for sixteen and seventeen year olds. It didn't have anything to do with not trusting them to make the right decisions', but he just didn't trust the people that were strangers. He still didn't think that he had made the right call in allowing them. Yeah, his poetry club members' were very mature, but some were still impressionable. He frowned in thought, his brows knitting together in displeasure. But, he had known that if he hadn't given in, that most or probably all of them would have disobeyed him and would have still come either way. He swallowed a large amount of his Sazerac, re-marking back on his strict instructions to them as he grimaced from ingesting the alcohol too fast. 'You guys aren't allowed to drink, do anything reckless or go off with any stranger, or leave from out your assigned group'. His own words had come back to haunt him. He hoped that he had made the right choice. He was after all responsible for every last one of them. Their safety rested on his shoulders and the shoulders of the teachers that he had hand-picked to accompany him on the trip. His drink wasn't too sweet or too bitter, but in between. It was required that you were supposed to sip it slow.

Gulping down the rest of his alcohol, he finally spotted who he had been searching for, Brittany. Even though half of her face was concealed by a mask. It had to be her. She was looking right over there at him. It was the first flapper costume he had seen tonight. She seemed familiar to him. And she obviously knew him, because she was making her way over towards him. He was positive that it was her. It all came down to her body structure, and a kind of familiar vibe he got from her. That she oozed. Her walk was seductive, but paced as she danced rhythmically to the music, her nice rounded hips swaying enticingly as his eyes looked nowhere else but on her. Her ever growing closeness spiked his blood pressure to rise, almost causing him to drop the empty glass in his hand. It was as though she wanted to prolong their meeting. His mouth had fallen open, causing him to feel the drool that was dribbling from out of his opened mouth. He closed it, not bothering to even wipe the saliva from off his chin. His top lip pulsated as he felt himself grow terribly hard. The ache in his groin was killing him, his cock grower even harder and strained against the front of his pants, outlining the bulge for all to see. At that moment he felt embarrassed and weak. He had thought that Aria alone would be the only person to make him feel such strong desire, but he had been wrong. Brittany was causing this reaction from him. Not Aria.

He didn't want to think about Aria. He just wanted to focus on the reactions that Brittany was causing to his body. The things that she was making him feel. The inside of his mouth was unusually dry. He tried wetting his tongue, but that didn't cause the dryness to go away. His eyes continued to connect with hers. They seemed bigger. Darker. He couldn't make out the beautiful clear blue that he had come to like. It was nighttime. The lights at the festival weren't defining enough for him to make out the color of her eyes. He couldn't breathe. It was hard to get air to his nonresponsive lungs. He grew nervous, his hands slightly trembling. He felt like he was on the verge of having a seizure. He couldn't get his convulsions' under control. She was still a few feet away from him, pushing her way through the crowd of people as her dance moves grew even sexier. Again, that twinge of familiarity gripped him. He lost a handle of his glass and it fell to the ground, shattering silently because of the many voices that filled the air, the laughter, and the thumping of the music.

His eyes dropped from hers to roam over her flapper costume. Her dress was a sexy black knee length layered fringe dress. She had on a pair of long black gloves that went all the way up to her elbows, a black sequin cigarette holder was held between two of her fingers and a matching black sequin headband with a feather kept her shouldered length black wig with ringlets' in place on the top of her head. The mask that concealed half of her face was a black and silver feathered swan one. She had on three long white pearl necklaces that hung down low around her neck, sterling silver waterfall earrings and two sterling bracelets that cupped both of her wrists, a long black feather boas that was draped decoratively over her shoulders, black thigh high fishnet stockings ensconced her legs, and a pair of Elektraa black heavy glitter heels with a perfectly cut and large bow was placed at each closed toe vamp.

When she stood in front of him, he allowed her to take his hand, and then she led him through everyone. Away from everyone at the festival. Away from all of the noise and away from all the lights. Her touch excited him. He wanted to touch more of her. She caused an electric charge to go through his body as her fingers squeezed his, dragging him along behind her. Her jasmine perfume engulfed his sinuses, causing his body to ignite in pre-orgasmic rapture. He had never felt that type of sensation before, but he didn't have time to reflect on it because she was pulling insistently on his hand as she wordless got him to move faster with her, forcing her way uncaringly through the massive assemblage of people. She never once slowed down, causing him to realize that she already had her mind set on a place she wanted to take him. He didn't know where she was taking him. Where were they going? He didn't know. She wasn't saying a word. Why was he following her? Why was he letting her lead him to someplace? Was this really what he wanted? He wasn't dense. He knew that they were about to do what they had both wanted upon meeting one another. He was anticipating this. He realized that he wanted this. Badly in fact. He needed it. He needed to have some type of physical contact. It had been way too long. He felt like he was going to implode if he didn't release the toxics in his body. He really wanted Aria. He really wanted to be inside of Aria, but since he couldn't have her, then he would settle for being inside of Brittany instead. He didn't think that was too cruel. He was indeed sexually drawn to Brittany as well as Aria.

He felt his patience slipping, felt his lower half tightening up some more and felt his breath coming out quicker and hasher, felt his desire mounting, felt his steps lengthen and felt his heartbeat pounding inside of his chest plate, felt his hand squeezing hers to indicate to her that she needed to find the spot she had in mind immediately, and he felt his gentleness with her faltering as he pushed his erection into her ass painfully, eliciting a moan form her lips as his another hand grasped onto the side of her waist. He wanted her rough, hard, and wild. He didn't care where they did it at that point. He just wanted to thrust himself into her already. He felt his lust for her suddenly dissolving as he came to the apparent conclusion that he didn't have a condom on him. He inwardly cursed his unpreparedness. He couldn't go inside of her raw if he didn't have protection. Aria had been different. She had been the only exception. She had been pure. Special. Inexperienced to some extent. He had trusted her. She had been the only one he had ever been inside of without a condom. He didn't want to taint those memoires with being inside of Brittany without a rubber. He wouldn't do it, but his male organ was being uncooperative. He couldn't fight what he was feeling, succumbing entirely to the passion that consumed him.

His rationalism went up in smoke as the Royal Hotel came into view. He tried desperately to re-think his decision, but his body took over, his eyes having a feral like tint to them as he all but shoved her through the entrance as they stepped into a completely deserted hotel. No one was around. The whole town was at the street festival. He was internally grateful for that. No one was going to walk up on them having sex. Especially not his colleagues or any of his club members'. He wanted her right there in the lobby without an objection from her; not caring of it was going to be the couch, a chair or on the floor, or even up against the wall.

He continued to be rough with her, pushing her up against the wall so that her back was facing him as he made his choice, before he unapologetically rolled up her dress, exposing her bare beautiful alabaster bottom. He was shocked to see that she wasn't wearing any underwear. He caressed it, groping it all over, loving how soft her skin was, before giving it a hard whack. She shrieked, before it turned into a throaty moan. She didn't seem to mind his roughness. He didn't have to see to know that she was beyond wet. He smelled it. He inhaled deeply, allowing her sweet scent to fill his nose. It intoxicated him hugely. His pulse seemed to jump at the all too familiar fragrance of a women's arousal. She leaned over; sticking her ass out as she braced the palms of her hands up against the wall as he roughly parted her thighs, reaching up to cup her sex. He felt as a shudder went through her as she gave a sharp intake of breath, releasing what sounded like a small whimper as she breathed in harshly. He groaned at how hot she was. At how wet she was.

She gasped at his fingers intrusion as he thrusted two of his fingers crassly deep inside of her, stretching her to the point that she felt pain as he fingered her swollen clitoris as she moaned softly, bending over more so that she could better accommodate him. He found that she was naturally tight, loving as her inner walls hugged his fingers as he moved them in and out of her very moist passageway. She let out another moan, leaning her forehead forward against the wall as she pushed herself back onto his thrusting fingers as he continued with his ministrations. A cry tore from her throat as her knees started to wobble under the strain she was putting on them. She took one of her hands from off the wall and reached behind her, grabbing his throbbing cock as she squeezed it, before tugging it and stroking it through his pants. A groan fell from his lips as his eyes rolled back into his head as he forced his two fingers even deeper inside of her. She felt so good. What she was doing felt so good to him. She found his head, feeling out the shape of him as she gave that part of him more attention than the rest. Her thumb and forefingers made circular motions over it, drawing out a groan from deep within him as she added pressure.

He withdrew his fingers, feeling as her juices dripped from them as she protested, before she clawed at his pants, wanting to get them off of him. He gave a low chuckle at her impatience, helping her with his pants as they felled down his legs to dangle around his ankles, before pulling down his briefs to follow behind them. Her hand went back to join the one up against the wall. The chilled air had him getting harder and harder, extending his length so much that it was frighten, then he aligned the head of his dick up towards her so that he could enter her pussy from the back, and then he plunged himself forcibly all the way inside of her, literally knocking the breath from out of her as her screams pierced his eardrums, his hands gripping her hips crushingly as he held her in place, giving her enough time to adjust to his size, and only then did he start to move from within her. She soon relaxed against him, quickly becoming accustom to his size as she thrusted her hips backwards to meet his rather energetic thrusts. He marveled at the feeling of being inside of her, grunting out his obvious pleasure as he drove himself even harder and further into her volcanic walls. He couldn't stop or slow down his powerful thrusts. He didn't want to. The only thing that mattered was filling her up with himself.

Ezra pressed increasingly into her warmth as he pushed forward inside of, pushing in and out of her, and then he came back into her harder and faster than before. Deeper. Extremely painful as her fingernails scraped the walls as they dragged down, leaving behind marks. He couldn't distinguish between the two of them, whose moans were louder, his or hers. Their bodies generated so much heat, perspiration breaking out all over their body as they moved together excitedly. Forward and backward, and then back and forth again, her hands lifting off the wall to clasp his butt tightly around the back as she drew him into her to hold him more firmly, wanting to feel him hitting every sensitive angle inside of her as she hissed out at every deep point he knocked against.

Brittany was gasping heavily for air as she gyrated her tight pussy as she rocked back hard and fast against him, small cries trickling out of her opened mouth. He rested all of his weight on her as he leaned into her as he drilled into her repetitively, uncontrollably, his hot breath bathing down her neck as he forced even more of himself inside of her. He couldn't believe that she was taking all of him. It was like they had done this before, but that couldn't be possible. His groans rose as he sped up his thrusts, causing her moans to match his. She moved one of her hands back onto the wall as one of his followed suit, covering hers as his fingers gripped hers. He felt an invisible rope coiling in his scrotum as her inner walls compressed around him, drawing him in much deeper into her body. He felt his legs starting to cramp up, but he pushed back the mild side effect. There was no way he was going to stop. He wouldn't stop until he brought her over the edge with him. He felt her body contorting up as he continued to pound into her, his strokes drawn-out and shallower.

He felt the building tension between them about to explode into something enormous as they geared towards completion as he sped up again, her backward thrusts gaining momentum. She squeezed and squeezed him, moaning incohesive sounds underneath her cragged breath. 'Oh, god' was the only thing his mind was able to make out. He felt as time slowed down. He felt himself losing control. He gave over to the great feeling, forcing his gigantic length and girth deep into her quivering pussy with each wild thrust as she squealed. Without warning, she erupted around him, riding on waves of bliss as she came strongly and persistently. Her muscles were seizing up and she spasmed again and again all around him as he kept on pushing into her, her screams very vocal as she steadily moved with him. She was becoming quite hoarse as he hammered almost reckless into her, hitting her g-spot that sparked another bout of orgasms to grip her as well as caused a flood of some type of liquid to run down her legs as she bucked against him, her knees going numb as her legs gave out.

Ezra held her tight to his body so that she wouldn't fall as he felt himself reaching his end, thrusting over and over, and harder and harder inside of her. He groaned and moaned as he felt his own orgasm rapidly approaching, ripping through him like a tornado. He sub-consciously knew that he was bruising her stomach and hips, but he found that he couldn't relinquish his hold on her. Not yet. Not until he came. Everything grew quiet. Still. He reached a point where, for a couple of seconds, it seemed like the world stopped. Then, he felt something like a bomb explode at the base of his dick, and with a sudden and rapid force like water shooting out of a high-pressure horse; he released quarts of his come into her. He never felt anything so exhilarating. Powerful. Fulfilling before. He couldn't stop groaning. He gave one last push inside of her, releasing more of his hot semen deep within her, before kissing her sweaty neck, licking up the salty droplets as she sighed contently.

He soon realized that he was squishing her into the wall, so he grunted and pulled out of her, and then he moved back from her. He was weak. Drained of all of his energy. So many thoughts flowed through his head. Regretful for ones, for not getting a chance to see what it was like to kiss her once, or berating himself for sleeping with her anyway without a condom. His mind was still reeling from the greatest orgasm he had ever had. How was that even possible? Aria had been the only one that could evoke this strong feeling inside of him. He inwardly cursed his callousness. He shouldn't be thinking about Aria right now. He was with Brittany.

Ezra calmly collected his trailing thoughts, before pulling up his briefs and re-arranging his pants as he zipped and buttoned them up, looking over at Brittany as she got her breath and heart rate back under control. Her back was still facing him, but then she turned around and leaned back against the wall, her chest slowly falling normally as looked over at him through the peep holes of her mask. They said nothing. Why weren't they talking? He felt as though he should say something. They both heard as the noises from outside drifted back into the moonlit room to greet them. Why were they both still wearing their masks? As though she had heard him telepathically, she reached up to take off her mask and he did the same, pulling their mask away from their faces as they both gasped in shock at what they saw. It wasn't Brittany, but Aria staring back at him. Her eyes big and round as her face mirrored his own.

He felt as though he had the wind knocked out of him. He couldn't move or speak. He could only stare at her as she stared back at him. How had this happen? How could he not know it was her all along? Had he been that far gone in lust? He should have known it was her. Felt it at least. Missing pieces began to fill the blank holes in his brain, filling in all the tale signs he had missed. He had wanted Aria again but not like this. He had never wanted it to happen because of a mistake. He was shortly pulled from his adsorption as sounds of crying filled his ears. He felt his stomach drop and his heart clenched as he looked towards Aria. She had sunk down onto the floor with her knees pulled up against her chest as tears of anger fell down her face. When she looked up at him, he didn't read anger or hate in her sparkling eyes, but generally confusion and a sense of misery.

**I really hoped you guys loved this chapter. I did lol. I know your heads are spinning right now. There was a lot of stuff that happened in this chapter ;). I had a difficult time writing this ending, but I'm very proud of it. Some of you might have already guessed that it was Aria from the clues I dropped along. Please review! Always review. I love reading you guys' comments. If I made any mistake I apologize sincerely. If I can get a lot of reviews, then I can have the next chapter up this same month. I'm already working on it.**


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

**Aria POV**

Aria prepared for school as she collected all of her textbooks that were strewn all over her queen sized bed. She was so sick of cramming for exams as she stuffed the books ill-manneredly into her backpack as she stored her notebooks', pencil case, and calculator afterwards, before moving over towards her desk to shut down her brand-new laptop, laughing at the little shadow in the form of Diana following her every move, her big copper eyes intrigued by everything around her. The beautiful black kitten wrapped herself Aria's legs as she meowed, seeking heat as Aria closed out of her power point for her junior project, and then she closed out of the page that listed her last minute changings she was planning on making to the yearbook before she send it off to be printed into copies. She then added her portfolio into her bookbag. The school exams, working to complete the school yearbook, and dealing with her junior project was all stressing her out as well as working at both the book rack and the Blue Ivy Grill. She just needed a break. She was so glad that the school year was nearing to an end. She couldn't wait for summer break.

She picked up Diana and kissed her, carrying her closely to her chest, before she sat the kitten down onto her bed, and then she went back over to her desk to put her laptop into its protective sleeve she had purchased online. She went over to her dresser and pulled on a clean t-shirt that read 'Go Sharks', and then she struggled into a pair of blue skinny jeans, before dropping down onto her knees to look for a pair of comfortable flip flops underneath her bed. She then headed into her bathroom to do her hair and make-up. She pulled her long hair into a high ponytail at the top of her head, then she tied two navy blue ribbons' into bows around it and applied light make-up onto her naturally beautiful face, and then she added blue ball stud earrings into her first two holes, before leaving out the bathroom to head back into her bedroom.

She scooped up Diana again, and then she walked over to her vanity table and used one hand to throw her items she had dumped out last night back into her purse, before strolling over to her closet to retrieve the dark blue half jacket with the bronze buttons she had bought from New Orleans. She placed her cat down on the floor so that she could put on her jacket, liking the snug fit. She went over to her full length mirror to check out her attire, taking a few minutes to parade around. She was satisfied with the way she looked.

It had been four days since she had been back from New Orleans and she still wasn't able to forget that night when she had mistaken Mr. Fitz for Adam. She still couldn't believe that she had slept with him instead of Adam. She couldn't believe that she hadn't known it wasn't Adam. She couldn't believe that she hadn't known it was really Mr. Fitz. She was angry with herself for being so blinded by lust. The small details had evaded her. So many clues had stared her into the face and she had ignored them. She couldn't blame Mr. Fitz, and she couldn't blame herself either. No one was to blame. She had clearly thought that he was Adam, and he had clearly thought that she was someone else. Who had he thought she had been? She felt a pang of jealousy, but she pushed it away. He could date whoever he wanted. She wasn't going to stop him. That night had been an honest mistake. She couldn't have known that his costume would be similar to Adam's. He had been just as shock as her. She was almost sure of it. He hadn't been able to fake that. She didn't understand. She knew both Adam's and Mr. Fitz's bodies so intimately, so why hadn't she figured it out?

Every night she closed her eyes she relived that night over and over in her head. She couldn't shake it. It wouldn't go away. It was always just there staring back at her, reminding her of what she had done. What they had done. She remembered everything. Every detail. She remembered how it was, how it had felt and how he had felt, how he had made her feel, she remembered his touch and touching him, she remembered the sounds they both had made, remembered all the music that had played in the background, his heavy breath upon her neck and how his hands had gripped her waist to hold her in place, and she remembered his roughness. How could she forget that? And she remembered his thrusts that had caused her to have so many orgasms as well as a squirting one. She had never squirted before. Was that even normal? It had felt great. Was it supposed to happen? It had been the best thing that she had ever felt in her life. She had felt so many feelings that night when she had found out that it was him and not Adam. She had felt confused. Sad. Angry, but guilty as well. She had felt guilty because she had enjoyed it very much. That was the reason why she had cried. What scared her most was the fact that she wanted to again.

The ride back home had been so awkward between them. She hadn't been able to look at him without giving herself away, but he had been completely different. He had stared at her constantly. Like he still hadn't believed what happened between them just the night before. She couldn't say she blamed him. It still had been fresh in both of their minds. Once or twice their eyes had connected with her always being the one to look away first. She had seen the wheels in his head turning as he had tried to figure it all out. She had seen the questions in his beautiful blue eyes, wanting answers from her, but she had, had none. She had been just as confused as him. She had felt his urge to speak with her alone, but she had avoided him at every single rest stop. She hadn't been quite ready to face him yet. She had needed more time to deal. She had known that he had understood that with the way he had stopped his pursuit of trying to get her alone.

She couldn't say that her sleeping with Mr. Fitz by a mistake didn't affect her and Adam's relationship. It had. She couldn't kiss him or touch him without thinking about that night. They hadn't slept together since New Orleans. She felt herself becoming distant with him, but she didn't want that. It wasn't her choice. She just couldn't seem to stop herself from reacting that way towards him. Whenever he kissed her or touch her she would flinch. She didn't mean to. She knew that he knew that something was bothering her. She would see the concern in his eyes, but he never pressured her to talk. She was thankful for that. How could she explain it to him? How could she tell him the real reason why she was behaving that way with him? Would he be able to understand? Would he been angry with her? Would he hate her for mistaking Mr. Fitz for him? She didn't like keeping more secrets from him.

Aria pulled herself out of her reverie as she lifted her backpack onto her back and slung her purse over her arm, and then she left out of her room and headed downstairs to the kitchen, glancing back over her shoulder at a sleeping Diana, who was curled up in a ball in the middle of her bed fast asleep. She smiled warmly. She really did love her black kitten. She sipped a glass of orange juice and munched on a green apple as she waited for Adam to pick her up and take her to school. She found herself caught back up in her thoughts as she thought back to that moment with her and Mr. Fitz in the gym together in New Orleans. She hadn't even known that he was even there until she had looked up in his direction. He had never looked more manly, sweaty and hot, and sexy to her. She had never seen him working out before. It had been a wonderful sight to watch him like that with all his muscles straining, hearing his grunts and deep breathing, and just watching as streams of perspiration rolled off of him as his breath became foggy.

Such strong desire had surged through her entire body as her eyes had stayed on him. Her mind had been muddled. She had found it hard to concentrate on her own exercising. She had really gone stark crazy when he had taken off his shirt and had flung it aside like it was nothing, her libido jumping with excitement at ogling his biceps and his taut abdomen. She hadn't been able to hold her gasp and small moan in. She had become hot, and it had been hard for her to breathe. She hadn't cared that he had caught her staring at him as she had bit her bottom lip and fanned herself, before wiping the sweat from her flushed face. She had boldly kept her eyes on him. She hadn't tried to look away. She wasn't some naïve school girl anymore. She had been sexually bothered by him. She hadn't tried to hide that fact from him. It hadn't help that he had flashed a sensual smile her way. Her panties had become saturated with her cum, feeling as the stickiness had coated her both of her inner thighs.

She had never seen a man as sexy as Mr. Fitz had looked as he had toweled dried his body to remove all the excess sweat from it. It had served to make her even more sexually aroused than she already had been. She had felt as her nipples had elongated and burn terribly. She hadn't been able to stop the aching. It had taken everything in her to maintain her composure, but that control had slipped when she had panicked as she had saw him walking over towards her to take the treadmill next to hers. She had been sorely afraid of what she might do, and what he might do, but that fear had all but evaporated as they had talked, played and joked around, and flirted with one another. She wasn't even ashamed to admit that she had liked that shared moment between them. She had even learned some more things about him. It had felt so great to not be at odds with him anymore, but now because of that mistaken moment between them in New Orleans, that had changed.

Aria didn't want to think about that. She wasn't ready to come to terms with that yet. She still wasn't ready to face Mr. Fitz. She still needed more time to get all of her thoughts and feelings in order before they had the talk. She knew that it was inevitable. She got up from the barstool and poured herself another glass of orange juice as she popped one of her birth control pills into her mouth, before washing it down, and then she put the pink container back into her handbag. She had almost forgotten to take it, feeling relieved that she had not. She felt herself become lost in thoughts again as she reflected on the way she had treated the other woman in the gym so rudely because she had wanted Mr. Fitz. She hadn't known what had come over her. That was a lie, she did know, she had been seething with jealousy. She hadn't been able to help herself as she had taunted the black haired woman and made a dig at Mr. Fitz to get the woman to become disinterested in him and leave. She had been happy that her tactic had paid off. She hadn't been able to contain her glee afterwards. She was glad that Mr. Fitz had been able to appreciate her shenanigans as he had laughed along with her. She smiled inwardly at that memory.

She reflected back on that sexually charged moment between them right back in that very same gym. Their smiles and laughs had long since disappeared. He had been touching her and she had been touching him. Their bodies had been unbelievingly close, and they had been so close to kissing each other. All the breath had left out of her body. Her eyes had been so glazed over with longing it had been quite hard for her to stare up into his dark hunger eyes. She had read the want. She had seen it. Had felt it in the thumping of his heart underneath her fingers. She had heard the raw begging in his voice, which had been thick with lust. She hadn't been scared. She had wanted him to, but she had been smarter enough not to act on those impulses' again. She knew where they had led her the last time. In the school's utility room. She had thought about her relationship with Adam, thinking about what she could be losing if she had fallen into Mr. Fitz's bed. She hadn't been ready to give up Adam. She still wasn't willing to give him up yet.

She didn't trust Mr. Fitz. She didn't trust him with her heart. She couldn't take a chance with him. She was still so confused. But, she knew that she was still very apprehensive when it came to him. He wasn't reliable. She knew that he could leave again. She didn't want to be with someone like that. She didn't want to be with someone who would just hurt her again. She knew he said that he wanted to be with her, but she didn't believe him. She was so happy to hear the honking of Adam's red Ford Mustang as she put her dirty glass into the sink, then she grabbed her stuff off the countertop, and then she rushed out the house.

"Is everything okay?" Adam asked with concern as he looked over towards her, before looking back at the road, his sea green eyes troubled.

"Yeah, why you ask?" Aria asked with befuddlement, looking up from eyeing her sparkly blue fingernails as she glanced over at Adam.

"Because you've been very quiet from the time you got into the car until now. What's on your mind?" Adam asked as he maneuvered the red Mustang around a car he was trying to pass. "It's not like you to be so silent. You usually talk my ear off".

She laughed without much enthusiasm in her voice. She just wasn't in a very talkative mood. How could she tell that to him without him getting suspicious? How long had they been driving? She looked down at her black watch that Byron had given her for no special occasion. They had been driving for at least twenty minutes.

"I'm sorry that I haven't been much company, but I have some stuff weighing on my mind," Aria apologized to him, before offering him a small smile. "I don't mean to be distant with you, Adam".

"I know you don't mean to be, but Aria I want to know what's going on with you lately," Adam voice was full of compassion as he tried to understand the shift in her behavior, looking her way again, before he switched lanes. "I care about you. Not just care, I love you. When something is bothering you, it bothers me too, I'm your boyfriend. I'm here. I'm ready to listen. You can talk to me. I'll try my best to understand".

But would you really understand, Adam? Aria asked him in her mind as she studied his profile, and then she turned her head and stared back out the passenger side window. He wouldn't the small voice answered back.

"Adam, I know you only want to help, but don't," Aria said coldly, before she softened her voice. She turned back to look at him. She wasn't mad with him. "I know that you're concern and that you love me, but let me deal with this on my own. I don't need you to worry about every little thing that happens in my life".

She hoped that didn't sound too harsh, or make him feel like she was trying to push him way. It was the opposite. She was trying to protect his feelings.

"I just love you is all," Adam said quietly, reaching over to place his hand on her thigh, before giving it a light squeeze.

Aria tried her hardest not to flinch under his caress, but failed.

"I know. And I love you too," Aria said with another small smile, before placing her smaller hand on top of his, intertwining their fingers together. "I'll be fine".

"I know you do. I do not doubt that for a second," Adam said with confidence as he glanced over at her, then he removed his hand on her thigh to shift gears, and then he placed his hand back on her thigh once more. "It's just that you have been acting oddly since we've been back from New Orleans. I'm not just talking about because you've been a little withdrawn. You also have been cringing a lot every time I go to touch you or kiss you, but I've also noticed that you don't touch me anymore unless I initiated first. And I'm not just saying this because we haven't had sex since New Orleans. It was never about sex with me. You know that, but I want that closeness back we use to have. I missed that form of intimacy".

She was quiet as she listened to him talk. She didn't know that he had picked up on everything that was going wrong with them. She had known that it bothered him, but she never knew how much until now. She felt bad for having treated him that way. His feelings did matter to her. Their relationship mattered. She had to make it right somehow. She didn't want to lose him. She did love him.

"I didn't mean to make you angry," Adam said genuinely, noting that she was still silent and not speaking to him as his eyes stayed glued on the road in front of him.

"I'm not angry. I'm just frustrated, but not with you," Aria told him honestly as she gripped his fingers tighter with hers. "The reason I'm acting this way was never about you. I'm sorry that I've been treating you this way. The things that I'm dealing with are very confusing and complicated to say the least".

"So, I did nothing wrong to cause this?" Adam asked as he brought her hand up to his mouth to kiss her fingers, smiling when she shivered instead of pulling away.

"No. you did nothing wrong. I just don't want to talk about New Orleans, but I promise to tell you everything when I'm ready to talk about it," Aria promised, before leaning over in her seat towards him to kiss the side of his mouth, hearing as he let inaudible breath out. In the scary thing about it was, she meant every word of it. She was going to tell him everything. She was so done with having secrets between them. She had faith that they would be all right. "I just need for you to have an open mind and be understanding when I tell you the things I'm going to tell you. Can you promise me that? You're going to be angry and hurt after I tell you the whole truth, but please don't hate me, or judge me too harshly for my poor decisions".

"I promise to be patient and remain level-headed with whatever you're going to tell me," Adam said with such sincerity in his voice as he looked over at her out the corner of his eye, causing her heart to swell at what she read in his eyes. "Aria, you should know me well enough now to know that, however bad it is, that I'm not going to hate you, or it's going to make me stop loving you or see you any differently. Yeah, initially I might be angry and hurt at first, but I'll get over it eventually. We'll move on, we'll be fine, and we'll make it work. No one said that a relationship is supposed to be easy sailing. It's not that simple, or black and white. It can't be all happiness all the time without a fair share of problems involved. That's not how a relationship is supposed to work. I don't want to lose you, or what we have together because of some mistakes you think you've made. I'm in this relationship for the long haul. You're not getting rid of me. You're the only one for me. I can't see myself with anyone else. It seems like I've been waiting my whole life to be with you. Fate bought me back into your life for a reason, and I don't plan on disappointing it".

Aria gasped as she felt Adam's hand leave hers to venture up towards her face to gently brush away the stray tears she had no idea had fallen, before cupping the side of her face and stroking it with his long fingers. She knew then that she was making the right decision to tell him everything. They finally made it to school without being entirely late seeing as Adam had to stop to get gas. He found an empty park in between two trucks; then they got out and took their backpacks from off the backseat, before making their hike up to the school. She allowed herself to revel in the feel of Adam's hand in hers as he stopped along the way to talk to a few of his friends. She was glad to avoid the strain of having to tote her bookbag on her back as Adam had offered to hold hers in his other hand as he carried his on his back. They shared a parting kiss once they got inside the building, separating to head to their locker that was on opposite ends of the hallway as they promised to meet back up for lunch.

She put in her locker combination, then she unloaded her backpack and kept out the necessary books she would need for English, physics and Algebra, and U.S. History, before she slammed the door to her locker shut. She had a long schedule for today. She got exhausted from just thinking about it, groaning miserably. She decided not to go to yearbook staff today. Her yearbook committee knew what they had to do. She didn't have to dictate their every step. She would give them this one and only opportunity to see how they did without her just for one day. She would only become a bitch if they ruined anything. She had already spent so much time and energy into making this year's yearbook a hit. She wasn't going to let them compromise all of her hard work and effort. Some of her nights had gone without sleep because of it. She then reached down to grab her bookbag off the floor where she had placed it, and then she headed off towards Mr. Fitz's class, not knowing how she was supposed to act after what had happened between the two of them. She bit down nervously on bottom lip as she urged her unwilling feet forward, not knowing if he would want to speak with her alone. She bet that he would. Why couldn't he just leave it alone? Why did they even have to discuss it? Why couldn't they both say it was a mistake and move on? She mentally prepared herself as best as she could. She reminded herself not to catch an attitude if it came to that. How she was supposed to stare into his eyes the whole time without getting sexually frustrated and flustered? It was simple. She just wouldn't look into his face. How was she supposed to handle it if he touched her or graze her hand by accident? Or stand over her to observe her work? Or bump into her? It was simple. She had to avoid having all contact with him, but how was that even possible? What was she supposed to do if he stared at her like he had done so on the bus ride home back from New Orleans? It was still simple. She had to pretend like he wasn't there. Still, how was that remotely possible? He was her teacher.

Aria was just walking into Mr. Fitz's class as he was in the process of handing out his morning routine of passing out a practice exam for the English part of the exams. It was like every teacher in the school was issuing out practice exams. She felt his eyes as well as everyone else's' follow her to her seat. She sat down, letting her backpack slide off her shoulder, and then she rummaged through it to get out her pen to write with, before she crossed her legs. She kept her eyes down, allowing her long ebony colored lashes to sweep her milky cheeks. She didn't look at him as he explained some new tips on passing the exam. She wrote them all done on the back of her practice exam, making sure to highlight them while using her different color highlighters. She knew that they didn't have to turn it back in. All their practice exams were supposed to be used as their own personal study guide. He never graded them, but he always came around to check over them. She liked the whole concept of it. She could actually go back and see how much she had improved from the last time. She worked on her practice exam in front of her as he went on talking.

She worked on her spelling terms next as he wrote them down on the blackboard for them to copy down in their notebooks and then he wanted them to find the correct definitions, seeing as he was giving a test on Friday. It took half of the class period. She kept feeling his eyes on her as he moved about the classroom. She still didn't meet his gaze. She couldn't without thinking back on that night. She still didn't look up at him as he came to stand over her to look over her work, biting on her lower lip more than usual. He let out an incoherent sound at her action, breathing harder than he had just minutes before. She silently prayed that he would move on, exhaling deeply when he moved over to the next desk beside hers. He never came back towards her and she was thankful for that. She was more than happy when he said that he wasn't going to be giving them any homework for the night, saying that as he went around the room again to hand out their next reading assignment. It was The Odyssey by Homer.

She was elated when the bell that ended first period rung, having finished all of her spelling terms. She didn't waste any time packing up her things to go to her next class. She wasn't much looking forward to Physics class, but she wanted to get away from Mr. Fitz's habit of constantly eyeballing her. She was sure she was the only one that had noticed it. He had been discreet as he possibly could, but one could never been so sure of who eyes had seen what. She handled her brand new paperback with care as she deposited it down into the small pocket of her backpack, before standing and zipping it up, and then she slung it over her shoulder. She was on her way to the door, when Mr. Fitz called for her to stay behind. She couldn't stop the awful churning in her stomach, or stop the wave of delirium from traversing through her body as she pushed back her minor irritation. She had promised herself that she wouldn't get defensive with him.

She crossed her left foot over her right and leaned her hip against her desk as she watched him close the door to his classroom, and then he walked over to her, his hands buried deep inside his pants pockets and his face set in determination. She looked up into his eyes and waited for him to speak. He looked like he had a lot of questions to ask her, but not knowing how to form them so they could come out right. His eyes searched hers for the longest time as though he was searching for something, before they looked over her body and used one of his hands to run nervously though his hair, and then his eyes came back to focus on hers. Why were his eyes always so piercing? She shivered inwardly, that being her only answer.

"We have to talk about what went on in New Orleans," Mr. Fitz said, before pausing to clear his throat. "I had no idea that it was you, Aria. Had I known sooner, I would have stopped".

"I know," Aria said softly, before crossing her arms over her breasts. He had a look of surprise on his face. Like he hadn't been expecting her to say that. He had expected her to be resistant and guarded. "Had I known, I would have stopped too, but we can't change what we did or go back in the past. We have to live with it".

"I keep going over it in my head of how I could have missed the signs," Mr. Fitz sounded confuse and angry with himself. "I can't stop thinking about that night, Aria".

She knew just how he felt.

"I don't know how I could have missed the signs either. I should know your body like I'm sure you know every aspect of mines," Aria said as she stared into his eyes, flipping a strand of hair out of her face. "And I can't stop thinking about that night either. I want to, but I can't. I can't block it out".

"Aria, I wanted to comfort you, but I didn't know if you wanted me to. I hate seeing you cry. It makes me feel helpless, and I don't like feeling incompetent," Mr. Fitz said as he ran both of his hands through his hair, before looking away from her. "And I like to think that I know your body better than my own, but that night I lost sense of everything that was rational. I shouldn't have behaved like that. I let my lust blind me. Honestly, I wouldn't blame you if you hated me and if you're angry with me".

"You're right. I didn't want you to. I had already felt bad enough. I mean, I've cheated on Adam twice, but this time I was unaware," Aria laughed rather bitterly, before flicking another strand of hair out of face. "But why should I hate you? Or be angry with you? It wasn't your fault. It wasn't my fault. It was nobody's fault. It just happened. You obviously thought that I was some other woman and I thought that you were Adam".

"I did think you were someone else. I thought that you were Brittany," Mr. Fitz said as he ran his fingers though his hair again, before turning back to look at her

"Who's Brittany?" Aria asked as she licked her lips, before folding her arms tighter over her chest.

"She's just someone I met in a bar," Mr. Fitz said, watching her closely. "She's a bartender at the Cajun Cabin in New Orleans. She's really good. At bar tricks I mean".

"Oh," Aria said slowly, while trying to keep a straight face as she tried to push down the burning jealousy that she felt.

"We were supposed to meet that night at the street festival," Mr. Fitz said as he walked back up to the front of the classroom, fiddling with his fingers, and then he ran another hand through his unruly hair. "She was going to be dressed as a flapper from the 1920's. So, I assume that you were her as you were walking up to me. I was certain that it was her".

"I thought that I was walking up to Adam," Aria said in a daze voice as she shifted her backpack over to her right shoulder, trying to remember that confusing night as she walked through it with him. He watched her even more closely, scratching his stubbly chin. "I remember hinted to Adam that I would be a dancer from the 1920's, and he hinted to me that his costume would relate to the godfather movie. That's one of his favorite movies. So, naturally I assume that since you were dressed up as a mobster that you were him".

"I can see how we both got confused now," Mr. Fitz said in thought, perching himself on the edge of his desk as he looked into her eyes, before looking away again. What was he thinking? "I hate to bring this up, but we didn't use protection, Aria".

"Why do we keep doing that?" Aria asked with another bitter laugh, walking up to stand in front of him.

She tried hard not to react to his good smelling cologne that teased her nose as she inhaled it deeply, feeling the butterflies fluttering around in her tummy as she felt a simmering heat start between her legs.

"I don't know," Mr. Fitz answered quietly as he looked up into her face, not realizing that she had come so close to him.

"If it helps, I'm still on my birth control," Aria informed him, not knowing why as she stared back into the beautiful blue eyes.

"Okay," Mr. Fitz nodded his head as his eyes held her big brown ones, taking her word for it and not doubting her like the last time.

She shook her head with disbelief.

"So, you're just going to take my word for it?" Aria asked him with a hint of sarcasm in her voice, remembering what had transpired the last time. "This played out so much differently than the last time I was here. You couldn't wait to doubt me then".

"I have no reasons to not believe you, Aria," Mr. Fitz spoke calmly as he searched her eyes again. "And I think I already apologized for my behavior the last time".

"Whatever. I have to get to my second period class," Aria announced, before taking a step back from him. "I'll see you at our session tomorrow afternoon".

"I'll write you a pass," Mr. Fitz said as he got up to walk behind his desk to grab his pass book off top, writing down a reason why she was late, before he tore off the slip of paper, and then he gave to her.

"Thanks," Aria said as she took the piece of paper from him, her fingers grazing his as she let out a small gasp.

He wasn't letting go, still holding on to his end of the paper, his fingers stroking hers ever so lightly as she bit on her bottom lip to hold in her moan as she stared intensely into his eyes. A slow tingle was spreading over her flesh. He was taking a risk, asking to be caught. Heat pooled low in her belly, making her wet. God, she wanted him even now. Even after everything that had happened in New Orleans. The force of her need slammed into her like a truck, leaving her weak. She felt short of breath as her chest rose and fell rapidly, shaking her head as she cleared away her haziness. She couldn't do this again. Why was he doing this? Why was he making her want him again? Why was he still trying to confuse her? He knew that she was still with Adam. He knew that she wouldn't cheat on Adam again. Why was he being selfish? Why wasn't she pulling her hand back? Why wasn't she telling him no? Where was her voice? Her common sense? Her need grew stronger. Almost tackling her to the ground.

She felt dizzy, unable to move as he came from behind his desk to stand in front of her, her written pass still clutched tightly in her hand. She could only stare up into his eyes. They were dark like a storm at sea as they held hers, seeing as his head descended down towards her mouth as she felt his hot breath against her lips. Her resolve was slipping. She had no will power left inside of her to stop him. She secretly wanted this. She wanted him to kiss her. She could hardly contain the deep guttural groan that tore from her throat as Mr. Fitz mouth crashed down on hers. Mr. Fitz's mouth, rough and hungry, moved over hers. She couldn't kiss him back. She was scared at how much she wanted him. She was terrified at how much she liked him; the realization feeling like a bucket of ice water was being dumped over her head. She pulled back just in time as the door to his classroom busted open, his second period class came traipsing in. She slapped a hand over her mouth, before she raced out of the room, not caring if anyone thought her crazy.

Aria went to her next two classes, Physics and Algebra. She wasn't aware at what went on in either class. It had been one big blur after the other. She had, had a hard time concentrating, her mind still reeling from Mr. Fitz kissing her. Absently, she touched a finger to her lips, still smelling him and feeling his touch. She closed her eyes, running her hands over her face in obvious despair. She did however know that she had homework for both classes. What was she doing? What had she been thinking? His kiss had felt good. It had felt more than good. It had felt amazing. She had wanted to kiss him back. She did like him. She had known it all along. How could she like him and Adam both? Did that make her a bad person? It was the way that Mr. Fitz touched her and looked at her. She walked dazedly to her locker as she swapped out her textbooks, before shutting her locker back. She headed towards the lunch room, feeling bad but not confuse anymore. She wasn't really hungry as she walked into the crowded cafeteria. It was the last place she wanted to be, but her stomach growled in protest. She guessed that she could eat as she headed over to the vending machines. She didn't feel like waiting in the long lunch line. She still found it to be long even if they did have two lines going. She looked around the lunch room, sighing with relief when she didn't spot Mr. Fitz or Adam, before she reached into her purse to get out her money. She didn't want to have to deal with either one of them at the moment. She still needed time to think things through. But, she still knew that she wanted to be with Adam. Having feelings for Mr. Fitz wasn't about to change that.

She got a bag of potato chips, a granola bar, and a bottle of water, and then she headed over to sit with Hanna, Spencer, and Emily at their regular table. She stood up and kissed Adam as him, Jennifer and Alec, and Caleb joined them. She shared her snacks with Adam as she sat in his lap, her arms going around his neck as she delivered kisses to his mouth as she laughed and talked with the others at the table with them. They discussed the senior and junior projects, the end of school exams that were happening next week, graduation and their jobs, their goals, and college plans. She didn't think about Mr. Fitz or his kiss. She enjoyed the rest of her lunch, the smile leaving her lips as she saw Mr. Fitz entering the cafeteria with Mr. Wallace as they conversed. His eyes met hers across the room, reading the hurt and sadness in them, before he disappeared into the lunch line. Why did she feel like she was betraying him somehow? She didn't wait for the bell to end lunch as got up to leave. She said her goodbyes and told Adam that she'll meet him in the school parking lot after school, and then she left out the cafeteria to head to her U.S. History class. She was so glad that it was her last class for that day.

She pulled on her uniform shirt, tucking it in like they were required to, then she released her hair from its tight ponytail, watching has the dark hair tumbled down her shoulders and back messily, before she ran her fingers through the luxurious tresses as she ruffled them about, making her hair appear even messier than before, then she closed her employee locker, and then she left out the staff room and headed back out into the store. She breathed in all the smells greeting her nose. The smell of books and fresh coffee as she threw herself into work. She found it much comforting to concentrate on work as it drove away her many thoughts. She forgot all the problems that plagued her. She loved working at the book rack. She loved the books, all its customers, and her co-workers. The book rack was a friendly environment. She got started training two new employees that were beginning work tomorrow, then she unpacked the store new shipment and put everything in its proper place, then she worked the customer service desk for a while, then she unloaded another box of shipment, and then she went around with her clipboard to check on the inventory. To say her feet work hurting her was an understatement. They were killing her. Once more she had forgotten to pack her support shoes.

She worked at the front cash register, then took her break and socialized with Jennifer and some of other friends that came into the store, and then she unboxed another store shipment that was even bigger than the first two, before she clocked out for the night. She headed back into the back to go grab her things, and then she went to the front entrance to wait on Adam to pick her up from work, biting on her fingernails as she bounced on her feet impatiently. He was supposed be already there waiting for her outside. It wasn't like him. He was always on time to pick her up. What was keeping him? Had his car broken down? Was he held up in night traffic? Was he working overtime? He had always gotten off of work around the same time that she did. Why hadn't he called her? She went outside to wait for him out there, still not spotting the red Mustang as she pulled her small jacket closer to her chest. It was a little breezy outside. She fished her cell phone out of purse, before dialing his number. He wasn't answering. She tried again, nibbling on her bottom plump lip as she held the phone to her ear to hear the ringing dial tone. She tried a third time and a fourth, but he still wasn't picking up for her.

Aria decided to go back inside the store to wait for him. She felt her impatience growing and she was getting a little angry. It wasn't like Adam to ignore her calls. She wondered if he had left his cell phone at home, but she was sure she had seen it on him earlier. She shuffled around on her feet, getting madder with Adam. Why wasn't he already there picking her up? She tried calling him again, but he still was avoiding her calls. An uneasy feeling formed in the pit of her stomach. Had he heard about her and Mr. Fitz? Had he seen them? But she didn't think that it was possible. He would have bought it up during lunch. He would have confronted her then. The knot in her stomach expanded as she bit the inside of her cheek. She tried calling some of his friends that worked with him, but they said that they all had gotten off at the same time, and that Adam was heading to the back parking lot to his car last they saw him.

She didn't know what could be keeping him. She tried dialing his father, but he wasn't picking up either. She cursed, causing the people around her to stare but she didn't care. She was tired and was she ready to go home. She went to go peep outside again, but Adam's car still wasn't out there, so she walked back inside. She saw that Jennifer was getting off and about to head on home. She tried Adam's cellphone again, but then she gave up and dumped her phone back down into her purse. Jennifer came up towards her, her face showing that she knew something was wrong.

"Aria, what's wrong?" Jennifer asked, eyeing her friend as she pulled out her car keys. "I can't believe that you're still waiting around here".

"Adam's not here to pick me up," Aria said with frustration as she ran an angry hand through her hair. She couldn't help it if she sounded grouchy. "I tried calling him, but he's not answering his phone. I tried calling his friends and his father, but still nothing".

"I could give you a ride," Jennifer offered with a smile, not seeming to mind at all.

"You sure," Aria asked with uncertainty, not wanting to be a bother to her friend.

"Yeah," Jennifer said as she headed outside to the parking lot to her car.

"Thanks," Aria said with a lot of relief in her voice as she followed out behind her.

Aria waved goodbye to Jennifer as she backed out of the driveway with her newest car of the week. Jennifer came from money. Both of her parents were well respected doctors in the community. Although Jennifer came from money, she didn't flaunt it, or act like she was superior to anyone else. That wasn't the type of person she was. She was fun, kindhearted and fashionable with all the latest trends, down to earth, a social goddess when it came to everything in high school, and she was a loyal friend. She wasn't just a cheerleader. She was so much more than that. Aria considered herself, Hanna, and Alec among the only people who really knew the real Jennifer behind the red hair and beautiful smiles. Aria knew that she wanted to make her own way in the world. That she didn't want to have to depend on her parents' reputations to open up doors for her.

She found it highly strange that both Byron and Ella were home at the same time as she spotted both of their cars residing in the driveway. She also found it strange that all of the lights in the house were on. She had a nagging in her gut that something was wrong. She didn't know what, but she knew something wasn't right. She didn't know how she knew, but she just did. She didn't like the feel of dread seeping into her as she trudged up the pathway to her house. The walk had never seemed longer. The awful feeling in the pit of her stomach intensified, shaking her to the core as the soles of her shoes crunched against the hard concrete. She wanted to turn back around. She didn't want to go inside, fearing that she was about to hear or see something that would impact her life forever. She wanted to cry, yell, and run, but she did none of those things. She never was a coward. She just kept on walking up to her house. She ran unsteady fingers through her long flowing hair, tousling the glossy locks, before gathering up the massive mass of hair to the left side of shoulder as it cascaded down her breast were it rippled in soft waves. What ever happened, she hoped that it didn't involve Byron, Ella, or Mike. She wouldn't be able to handle it.

She didn't know why she started to feel a terrible ache in her heart. It felt like it was weeping silently. She couldn't stop her trembles. She didn't know why she suddenly felt alone and lost. She felt sick, feeling as a wave of nausea came over her. She wanted to throw up. She wanted to crawl up into a ball in protect herself from the pain she knew was waiting for her. She ran another hand through her hair, finding it soothed her as she chewed nervously on her bottom lip. She didn't know what was going on, feeling as her head started to pound slightly. She hated headaches. She hated feeling this way. She hated feeling like another half of her had died. The pounding in her head grew sharper as her quiet musing became too much to bear as her thoughts tore through her head none too gently. She felt the pricking of tears catch at the corner of her eyes. They were just waiting to spill over. She gnawed harder on her lower lip as her nerves got the best of her. She didn't understand why. Her feet felt like deadweights. Her fingertips felt numb and cold as ice. The urge to throw up was greater than before. She used a hand to cover her mouth, warding it off. Her other hand cradled her stomach, rubbing it softly to calm the nausea down.

Aria reached down into her purse once she made it to the front door, her fingers skimming over her cell phone, wallet, and her mini cosmetic bag, before coming into contact with her house keys. The keys jingled nosily as she fished them out of purse to unlock the front door. Her hand shook uncontrollably as she inserted the bronze key into the lock, using her other hand to steady it as she heard a small clink. She pushed the door open, and then she went inside, dropping her bags down at the door. She didn't care about them. Her mind was too jumbled with worry. She looked towards the left, seeing her parents sitting down at the dinner table huddled together as they whispered conspiringly to one another. What were they saying? She couldn't make a word out. They hadn't yet noticed her. She took one good look at both of their faces and fear gripped her whole being. She couldn't breathe. Her heart was racing a mile a minute. Her suspicions had been right. Something had happened. Her eyes searched frantically around for Mike as she felt herself began to cry freely as the tears coursed down her ashen colored face. She didn't see him, causing the pain in her heart to grow. Where was he? She knew that he was supposed to be home by now. Terrible thoughts filled her head as she staggered over towards Byron and Ella, nearly tripping over her own feet as she steadied herself better, walking more slowly like a zombie.

Byron and Ella finally noticed her when she sat down at the table and folded her hands neatly in her lap. She couldn't get her feet to stop bouncing as she waited on them to say something to her. She had a better view of their faces. They look like they both had been crying just before she had walked in. She wanted to know what was going on, she wanted to know where Mike was and she wanted to know if he had gotten into an accident, and if he was okay. Why weren't they saying anything? Why weren't they speaking to her? Why weren't they telling her about Mike? She looked questioningly at them as she stared into their eyes. She was growing sick of their silence. Ella looked at her and shook her head, fresh tears leaking from her eyes. Byron just looked concernedly at her, before he too shook his head as he squeezed Ella's hand in his. What was it they weren't telling her? She needed answers. The suspense was killing her. She ran both of her hands through her messy hair, before rubbing her eyes to clear away the tears, and then she looked towards Ella again.

"Ella, what's going on?" Aria asked in a choked up voice, struggling to speak without crying again.

Ella didn't answer. She just shook her head again.

"Mom, what's happened?" Aria yelled as she repeated herself. "What's happened to Mike?"

"I'm so sorry, Aria," Ella spoke quietly as she continued to cry, still not answering Aria's question.

Aria shook her own head angrily, feeling frustrated that Ella wasn't going to be any help, and then she looked over to Byron helpless, desperately needing him to tell her what her mom wouldn't.

"Byron, what's happened to Mike? Why isn't he home?" Aria asked as fear crept into her voice as she stared expectedly at Byron.

"Nothing has happened to Mike, Aria," Byron reassured her, before sighing deeply.

Aria sighed out with relief, releasing shuddering breaths of air as she wiped at her red puffy eyes with her hands and stopped her sniffling, before taking a calming breath as she relaxed. Mike wasn't hurt. He wasn't dead. She was so thankful nothing had happened to him. She could breathe normally again. He was okay. They had scared her half to death. Mike wasn't hurt and that was the only thing that mattered and that she cared about at the moment. Then why were they crying? A smile voice in her head asked. She thought about her friends, feeling sick again as her hands gripped both of knees for support, feeling as though she might fall out of the chair. She didn't want to think that something had happened to Spencer, Hanna, and Emily. They had been her friends since childhood. They weren't complete without one another. They were like her sisters. They did everything together. They shared secrets and gave each other at advice. She didn't want to think about losing other members of her family, or Adam. She wasn't even ashamed to admit that she didn't want anything bad happening to Mr. Fitz either. What else had Byron and Ella so upset if it didn't involve Mike?

"Aria, something tragic transpired tonight," Byron began, but Ella interrupted him.

"I don't think we should tell her tonight, Byron. I think we should wait until morning," Ella suggested sympathetically as her brown eyes so much like her daughter's ran over Aria's face lovingly. She didn't want to see her daughter in pain, and she knew that this news would hurt her. "Aria looks tired. Let's wait until tomorrow morning. I think she'll be able to handle it better than".

"I think she needs to know, tonight, Ella," Byron insisted as he looked over towards his wife, getting that she had Aria's best interest in mind, but he didn't think that they should hold this off any longer.

"Tell me what!" Aria just about screamed at them, hating that they were talking like she wasn't even in the room with them. Like she couldn't decide or speak for herself. She was getting angrier by the second, biting on her bottom lip as she ran a rough hand through her silky locks. "What are you guys keeping from me? What don't you want me to know? Is it about members of our family? Or does it have anything to do with my friends? I want answers! Now! I'm sick of you guys stalling".

"I don't know how to say this," Byron said sadly as he stared back into his daughter's eyes, reaching under the table to cover her hand with his, trying to console her.

For the first time his age was showing as the lines around his eyes and mouth grew more pronounced as well as the gray hair that was sprinkled at his temples.

"Just say it," Aria snapped without thought as she shook of his hand, seeing a flash of hurt cross her father's face, before he nodded his head with understanding.

She didn't much care. She didn't want to be touched. She just wanted some answers.

"Aria, Adam was robbed tonight after leaving work," Byron forced out, not taking his eyes off of hers.

She just looked at him like he had grown two heads, before the information sunk into her head, causing a wave of anxiety to fill her. This couldn't be happening. It wasn't right. Byron didn't know what he was talking about. A batch of fresh tears filled her eyes and spilt down her cheeks as her teeth dug into her bottom lip, gratingly. She winced, feeling as the skin tore apart as her own blood rushed into her opened mouth. Adam was all right. He had to be. This couldn't be all that bad, could it? He was fine. She knew it in her heart. She felt it as another hand flew roughly through her tangled hair.

"Umm…I'll just go pack a bag, and then I'll head to the hospital to be with him," Aria rambled on like some delusional person as she got up from her chair she was sitting in, sounding like her nose was congested from all of her crying and nose sniffling.

Both Byron and Ella looked at her in alarm.

"Aria, that's not going to be possible," Byron said with concern in his voice and eyes.

"Why not?" Aria asked angrily, folding her arms over her breasts as she looked accusingly at Byron as more tears continued to pour down her beautiful face. "You can't stop me. I'm going to see Adam. I don't care if I have to walk to Rosewood memorial".

"Because, Aria he was killed in that shooting. He's dead," Byron's voice sounded louder to Aria's ears as she shook her head unbelievingly over and over. "While, I don't know all the details, I do know that he was walking to his car when an assailant jumped out with a gun".

"You're lying!" Aria shouted at him with hate in her eyes. "Things like that don't happen in Rosewood. They just don't. You have to be lying. Adam's not dead. I won't believe that".

"Aria," Ella said sharply, looking at her daughter disapprovingly. "I know that all of this is a lot to take in right now and I know you're hurting, but you don't speak to your father that way".

This was the first time she had ever raised her voice at Aria.

"It's okay, Ella, she's in shock," Bryon said without looking over towards her, his eyes still focused on Aria.

"I mean it's not true. It can't be. I just talked to him this morning. He was fine. We were fine. Everything was fine," Aria spoke as though she was talking to herself, wiping harshly at the tears that were falling pass her cheeks and down her quivering mouth. It was like losing Caroline all over again. She raked her fingers through her hair once more, shaking her head with confusion. "Things like this don't happen to people like Adam. Adam was a good person. I love him. I can't lose him. I just won't believe this. Adam is alive. I know it".

"Aria, listen to yourself," Ella sounded worried, looking at Byron for help. "Byron say something to her".

"Aria, Adam is dead," Byron voice quavered, hating to see his daughter this way. "He's not alive. I know you want to believe that, but don't do this to yourself".

"Stopped lying to me!" Aria shouted again as she hugged herself tightly, her head still shaking back and forth in denial. "I can't breathe. I can't handle this. I can't be without him. Adam can't be dead".

"Aria, sweetheart, try to calm down. Breathe slowly," Ella instructed as she got up from the table and walked over towards her, before wrapping her arms around her.

"Aria, Benjamin called me personally and told what happened to Adam," Byron tried getting through to her again as he too got up to walk over to her.

That time it worked. The words held some weight. Aria wrestled herself from Ella's hold, moving far away from her and Byron. She opened her mouth up and screamed and screamed as she rocked herself. They sounded horrible to her own ears. She felt her heart breaking. The pain was killing her. It was ripping her apart. She wanted to escape it. She wanted to get away from everything. Everyone who wasn't Adam. She wanted to escape inside herself. She needed to get away. This wasn't really happening. It was all just one big dream. She was dreaming. She was asleep. Adam wasn't dead. The world couldn't be so cruel to take another person that she loved away from her. She started to panic, feeling the emotion coursing through her veins. It scared her.

"I can't breathe," Aria said in a panicked voice after she had stopped screaming, clawing at her throat frenziedly, and her eyes were bigger than they have ever been as she made choking like noises. It felt like her lungs were shutting down on her. They were refusing to delivery air to her. Something was compressing them. "I can't breathe. I can't breathe. Something's wrong with me".

She started to lose her vision as she grew lightheaded; the last thing she saw were Bryon and Ella running over to her side just as she lost consciousness. Someone was screaming. Blood curdling screams. Who was it? Was it Bryon? Or Ella? No, it was her.

**First off, I just wanted to thank you guys for your continuing support for this story. You are the reason why this story is such a huge success. I bet you guys didn't see that coming, did you? I still can't believe that I killed off Adam. When I first introduced him, I already knew that he was going to die. I struggled with a lot of ways of how I was going to let him die. I loved writing this chapter. It was very emotional. And I hope I captured that. Review and tell me your thoughts! Always review. I love reading you guys' comments. And I'll try to have the next chapter out this month also, but it depends on my work schedule. Next up, Ezra's POV.**


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

**Ezra POV**

Ezra got up from the kitchen table to dump the contents on his plate into the garbage can, scraping the bits of food into the trash, and then he went over to the sink to wash his plate. He had cooked a small meatloaf, a pot of fresh green beans, cornbread, and strew potatoes. He had only cooked because he was celebrating that he had got the summer job to teach at Hollis. He was excited. He was going to be teaching an English course. He placed his plate in the stainless-steel compact dish rack after he had finished, then he went back over to the table and drank down the last drop of his iced Tea, and then he headed back over to the sink to wash his glass, adding that to the dish rack as well. Then he packed the leftover food away into colorful containers he had gotten for a reasonable price, then he put it away into the refrigerator to have for the next day, he then pulled the store brought apple pie from out the oven and grabbed another plate from the cupboard and a knife and spoon from the kitchen drawer, and then he headed over to the freezer to take down the cylinder shaped tube of Vanilla ice cream, before heading over to sit down at the kitchen table to enjoy his dessert.

He got lost in his thoughts as he cut himself a thick slice of pie and spooned out a chunk of ice cream onto his plate. He hadn't seen Aria in over two weeks. She had been evading school, only showing up to take part of her exams and to present her junior project. He had tried his hardest to be one of her judges when she had presented, but it didn't happen. He had only wanted to get a glimpse of her to see how she was holding up. She also had been avoiding him, and all of her other friends. He could understand her desire wanting to mourn alone with her family and Adam's. He still couldn't believe that Adam was dead. The school had held a memorial service for him. Granted, he hadn't liked him just because he was dating Aria, but he had been an awesome student and a great person all around. A lot of students and teachers had liked him. He had gotten along with everyone. It was very sad that his life had been cut short. He had, had his whole life in front of him. He knew just what Aria and Adam's family were going through.

He wanted to be there for Aria. He wanted to comfort her in her time of need. He didn't want her to hurt alone. He didn't want her to shut down. She needed someone to talk to who wasn't family or related to Adam. It killed him that she was in pain. He had tried calling her many times, but she hadn't been returning any of his calls. He had gotten her cellphone number from Spencer. He had never wanted this. He had wanted Aria to pick him over Adam. He knew that this tragedy would affect his chances with her now. He didn't want her to choose him because Adam was dead now. He didn't want to be the other option. The other guy. He wanted to be the guy she had wanted all along. He wasn't sleeping well. He couldn't when Aria was experiencing this again. First it was her sister Caroline, and now it was Adam. She shouldn't have to go through this again. It wasn't right, or fair. How much could she take before she broke completely down? Until she had a nervous breakdown? He wished that he could take her far away from Rosewood. All he could think about was Aria and her pain. And just wanting to be with her. He just wanted to hold her, to wipe her tears away and kiss her, and to keep the bad nightmares away. If he could bring Adam back, he would. He would do it just for her. He didn't care about his own feelings, but he cared enough for hers. It would be the most selfless thing he had ever done.

Ezra wasn't hungry anymore as he got up and just threw everything into the trash, rubbing his sleep deprived eyes roughly. He tried doing laundry; cleaning and boxing up some stuff to take to the local Goodwill, grading some last minute papers and reports, reading a book, watching a movie, sorting out bills, and taking out the trash, but all that didn't help. It didn't keep his mind off of Aria. He couldn't stop thinking back to that stolen moment in his classroom when he had kissed her. It had been the last time he had talked to her. The sighting in the cafeteria later hadn't counted. She had been with Adam and their group of friends. It had been the last time he had seen Adam alive. He truly regretted treating him the way that he had all because of his jealousy. He had been a jealous prick. The poor guy never knew why Ezra hadn't liked him. That was something he had to live with on his conscious. He had treated Adam terribly outside of class and the poetry club. It was a wonder why he had never reported him. He sure gave him plenty enough reasons to. He shook his head, not wanting to think about his regrets' when it came to Adam, or his death anymore. Talking about it wasn't going to bring him back. It was not worth beating himself up over it. He had been a shitty person to the kid. He had never deserved it.

It had only been a lapse in judgment when he had touched Aria, stroking her fingers with his. When he had kissed her, needing her to respond to him. She hadn't. But, she had been affected. He had felt that much from her. Had seen it like a blind man discovering his sight for the first time. Why hadn't he let go of that piece of paper? Why hadn't he let her leave? Not be subjected to his advances? Why hadn't he just pushed away his desires'? Stayed strong? He had told himself that it wouldn't hurt? That it wouldn't be selfish of him? They had already discussed that mistaken night between them in New Orleans. He had taken a daring risk, asking to be caught so inappropriately with one of his students. Why hadn't he just remained behind his desk? Kept some space between him and her? Why had he let his lust for her overcloud his scenes? Hadn't he learned by now? Apparently not. He wished that she had stopped him. Had pushed him away. Had said no. Had yelled at him. He could just imagine all of the things that had ran through that head of hers. She had probably thought that he was being selfish. That he was trying to confuse her. That he had been trying to come between her and Adam, and that he had been trying to make her want him on purpose. He had told himself that it would just be a small kiss. That it would be innocent. Harmless. He could have sworn that she had wanted him to kiss her. He had heard the delicious sounding deep guttural groan that had torn from out of her throat when his mouth had met hers. She couldn't deny that she wasn't shaken. He was interrupted from his thoughts as he heard a knock at his door.

Ezra peeped through the little peephole on his door, and then he stood back and let Aria in without saying a word, his eyes roaming over her, before he looked back up into her face. She had come. He couldn't believe that she was actually standing in front of him. He had been thinking that he would be the last person that she would want to see. He couldn't help the small smile tugging at his lips, feeling happy about her unexpected appearance. Even after everything that had happened, she still managed to look even more beautiful to him. He thought that was crazy because her long dark luscious hair was in a messy braid going to the left side of her face and fell just below her breast, her naturally pale face was devoid of all make-up and she had bags under her eyes from lack of sleep, she had on an all too big shirt, had on a pair of loose fitted jeans that were torn at the knees, and a pair of ratty looking flip flops were on her feet. Her toenails were painted a grayish black just like her fingernails. Even when she dressed less attractive he still found her lovely. He would always find her gorgeous.

He chided himself for staring, but she didn't seem to mind, her mouth lifting up into a shy smile, before she nipped her bottom lip. She couldn't seem to stop moving her hands as she kept on wringing them out, and then she started fumbling with the strap of her purse. Why was he still staring at her? Why were they just standing there gazing at one another? She released a shaky breath, before she looked at him with uncertainty, not knowing if he wanted her there. He led her over to the front room, moving old newspapers, coffee mugs, and shoes out of the way, before gesturing with his hand towards the couch. She took off her purse and placed it on his coffee table, and then she sat down on the lumpy love seat he had gotten at an auction. He sat down beside her, moving over to the edge to give her some space, but she scooted closer to him, before turning her body sideways to face him. She smelled strongly of flowers and winterfresh gum.

"Aria, I'm really sorry about Adam," Ezra said gingerly, offering her his condolences. He didn't know what else to say or do. He knew that she was hurting. He felt it. He knew that she had loved him. He had never quite understood it, but she had. He hated that she was in any type of pain. He wished that he could absorb every bit of pain that she was feeling. He knew what it was like to lose people you cared about. Yeah, the hurt would soon fade, but the memory would always be there. "I knew that you loved him. He died in such a senseless way. All because of someone else's greed".

He felt angry just thinking about how someone could commit such a despicable crime without a conscious. There really were evil people in the world. He couldn't stop thinking about the way Adam had died. He hated that the person responsible wasn't caught. He was still out there wandering around likely to do it again. That same person had caused a lot of pain to a lot of people. To someone he cared about. Aria.

"Thanks, but I'm not here to talk about Adam. I'm not ready to talk about his death yet," Aria said quietly, biting on her bottom lip, her voice filled with so many emotions as her big doe like eyes glazed over with tears that she didn't allow to fall.

He wanted to wrap her up in his arms and protect her from everything. To always keep her safe, but he didn't make that move. He didn't know if she wanted him to touch her. The last thing that he wanted was to offend her. To make her uncomfortable. He wasn't going to ruin it.

"Then why are you here?" Ezra asked, just as quietly, before reaching a hand out to tuck a strand of silky hair behind her ear. He wasn't able to resist.

He felt her shudder, but she didn't protest or pull back before his hand dropped back down at his side. What right did he have to touch her? None. Where was his head? She had just loss her boyfriend for god sakes. He really was a senseless bastard. Her terracotta colored eyes flitted down to that same hand, before she spoke.

"I'm here…because I feel safe with you. I know that probably sounds crazy to you," Aria laughed softly, before looking away from him, and then she gazed back into his piercing blue eyes as she chewed on her lower lip somewhat nervously. They had turned a shade darker at her bold admission. "You're a good listener. I really need a friend right now. You know first-hand of what it's like to lose people you love. I found it easy talking to you about what happened to my sister Caroline. I…had never wanted to talk about it until you. You help me to see that her dying wasn't my fault. That I wasn't to blame. I never thanked you for that, but I'm thanking you now".

"You're welcome. Whatever you want, I'm here, Aria," Ezra said in a gentle tone, loving that she was sharing this with him. He then realized that he wanted her, the house, and to be the father to her children. "I'll be whatever you need me to be. You can ask me anything. I'll tell you anything you want to know".

"This is not going to seem right, but I've been wondering this for the longest time, do you really have feelings for me?" Aria asked, her voice almost desperate as her eyes held fast to his as she moved even closer to him, her body molding to his side. "I don't even know why I'm asking you this".

She licked her soft lips to moisten them, before she went back to biting them. He wanted to be those pair of lips. To feel the brush of her velvety tongue. He shook his head, and then he answered her question.

"I meant everything I said to you that day. I would never lie to you, Aria," Ezra said with veracity, mustering every emotion he felt for her into his voice, before running a light finger down her smooth jawline, before brushing his thumb across her bottom lip, hearing as she sucked in a breath, and then he moved his hand away. He had to keep his hands from off of her. But, that will be like telling him not to breathe. "I want you. I never hid that fact from you. I want a real relationship with. I don't care about the consequences' or anyone else's opinions. What matters is how I feel about you. I meant what I said. I'm not just captivated by your beauty Aria. I'm in awe of you".

"You say these things and they sound nice. Sweet even, but I just don't know," Aria said as she bit down harder on her bottom lip, before blowing out a tired breath as she looked at him with a mixture of confusion and wanting to believe him. Her eyes had never looked so conflicted. "But somehow, I believe every word that you're saying. I'm just afraid".

"What are you afraid of?" Ezra asked softly, not wanting to push her too hard, fearing that she might close up. He didn't want that. She was just starting to open up to him about her feelings. "Tell me, what has you afraid?"

She shook her head no, running her hand softly over the pretty afghan on the back of the couch.

"I can't," Aria said as she looked back into his eyes, before looking away again as her eyes roamed over the small apartment.

"Try," Ezra urged gently, bringing her face back to his so that he could gauge her emotions in her eyes.

"It's not that simple," Aria said evenly as she drew her knee up to her chest.

"Yes, it is," Ezra said harshly, challenging her as he kept her face captive in his hand, not giving her the chance to look away again.

Her shoulders slumped in defeat.

"I'm scared of my feelings for you. I've always liked you," Aria spoke in a whisper, her eyes fluttering close briefly, before she opened them back up again. "I don't trust my head or my heart when it comes to you. I fear that if I open up to you again, that I'll get hurt again. I don't want to be filled with anger anymore".

He didn't say anything. He just let her talk, knowing that she had more to say to him.

"When you left, I wasn't just angry. I was hurt," Aria confessed as she rubbed at her eyes, still refusing to allow her tears to fall. "I thought that I had everything under control, but you used me. And it was all to get what you wanted. I was stupid thinking that I could seduce you and tease you. You had me fooled".

He still didn't speak, still knowing that she had more to say. She needed to get this off of her chest. She needed him to listen. And, he was going to give her that.

"I never had a choice once you started to play," Aria said with bitterness as her eyes continued to hold his, before she moved his hand from her face. "Why did you leave? Was it to get away from me? Was I becoming too clingy? Too desperate? Too bold? Or did you just get sick of me? Was the thrill of fucking someone half your age gone? I never wanted an explanation from you, but now I do. Why did you leave town? I was so furious and hurt by what you did. Of how you just took off. You didn't call. You didn't let me know anything. I knew that we weren't anything to each other, but you were a cold bastard. I hated you for so long?"

"I didn't leave because of you. I didn't leave town to get away from you. How could you think that? You have it all wrong," Ezra said frustratingly, hating that she had gotten the wrong misconception.

God, he was an idiot.

"Then please explain it to me," Aria said angrily, as her eyes ran over his facial features, seeing the obvious hate directed at himself.

"I left because of me. It had nothing to do with you, Aria. I was losing it. Jamiee had just broken up with me. I wasn't thinking clearly. I was a wreck. I had to get away. I had so many things going on. I had to find myself and think," Ezra explained profoundly, not trying to justify what he had done. "Then there was the situation with you. I was sleeping with a student. Something that I shouldn't have been doing. It was so wrong, being that I'm your teacher and that you're underage. There was an attraction between me and you that shouldn't have happened. We were inappropriate with each other from the start. I was catching feelings for you. Feelings that I couldn't understand. It was affecting me in major ways. I couldn't teach. Sleep. I was drinking heavily. All I could ever think about was you. You were always on my mind. I couldn't get you out of my head. Out of my system. I always wanted to touch you. To have sex with you. You didn't seduce me, Aria. I'm a grown man. I make my own choices. I allowed myself to be seduced. And why not, you're beautiful, young, and special".

She didn't say anything. She just climbed into his lap, straddling him, her knees on either side of him, letting him explain some more. His emotions were just as raw in his voice as he continued on, not touching her, or holding her.

"It was wrong of me to leave the way that I did. It wasn't right. I should have left you a note, or called you. That was my stupidity," Ezra said with self-blame filling his voice. "There was a teacher's conference that was for six weeks, and I just jumped at the opportunity. It was heartless of me. And, it was very selfish. I didn't care. I wasn't thinking about you, Aria. I wasn't thinking about your feelings. I'm sorry".

"I forgive you," Aria said freely without hesitation, her eyes searching into his, her hands gripping both of his broad shoulders.

"Say it again," Ezra said with a half laugh, not able to believe his ears.

"I forgive you. Life is too short. I'm sick of holding this against you," Aria said, allowing herself to smile.

It wasn't big. It was a small smile. It was right. It was a start. He couldn't resist the urge to kiss her. He didn't want to think. He just wanted to act on his impulses. To feel her lips against his. So hot and moist. His kiss was agonizingly slow and mellow. His lips questionably parting her own as he waited for her to pull back from the contact. When she didn't, his tongue freely slid into her opened mouth and she responded back with uncertainty and enthusiasm, her soft tongue colliding with his as he groaned quietly into her mouth. This was different. He had never felt this with her before. The inside of her mouth was so sweet and savory. He groaned again, the deep sound rumbling in his chest. Her silken breasts were pressed against his chest. His pulse was racing. He wanted more from her. He sort more from her, making her gasp and tremble as his kisses became harsh and more demanding against her gaping mouth. He couldn't come up for air if he wanted to. She sat more heavily on his erection, causing a broken moan to leave out of his mouth as he gripped the side of her waist hard. This felt like their first real kiss. Her lack of resistance seemed to reinforce his confidence and he brought his right hand up to caress her cheek tenderly. She was perfect in every way.

She responded by crossing her arms behind his neck, running her delicate fingers through his short hair as she slowly grinded on him. More sounds emitted from out of his mouth as their tongues worked at a very intense, but cautious pace, not wanting to offend the other. He was shaken to his very soul. His left hand left her waist as it came up to work loose the long plait in her hair, before her hair fell around her face. His same hand held back her curtain of messy hair, his fingers gripping the silken locks like it was spun gold, and then his hands ran along the gentle swell of her hips, over the globes of her bottom, cupping and kneading the flesh as she moaned louder into his mouth. She felt soft, warm, and for the moment, she was his. His cock grew bigger from the heat that radiated from her core; a surprising gasp escaping passed their joined lips.

Just as slowly as the moment had begun between them, Ezra withdrew from her completely, his hands dropping weightlessly down at his sides as his eyes bored deep into her unfulfilled desired ones. Aria's hungry eyes looked into his inquiringly as he rested his head back against the couch cushion. He knew very well that going beyond this point would make it very difficult for him to exercise any effective measure of self-control. He did want her, but he wasn't sure if this was the right time. She was obviously very vulnerable. He didn't want to take advantage of her. He wouldn't be that cold-hearted. He didn't want her to end up hating him again. Sensing his hesitation, she got up from his lap and tugged on both of his hands as he allowed himself to be pulled up from the couch, his body mere centimeters apart from hers as he felt every ounce of her body heat. She flashed him what looked to be a trace of one of her old seductive smirks and he just lost it, letting out a low growl, before lifting her up into his arms as she wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs tightly around his waist as he marched them into his bedroom as she rain kisses down the side of his neck.

Her mouth was scorching. He sat her back on her feet once they made it into his room. His deft fingers drinking in every inch of her glorious skin to feel around her small waist and down her full hips, before traveling further up and faintly tracing the outer curves of breasts, a more insistent surge of desire coursing needily through his veins. He needed to touch her naked skin. They both needed to be naked already. Her own hands skillfully worked to remove her big t-shirt as she lifted the shirt over her head, and then she tossed it on the deep green carpet infused floor, his eyes filling with undisguised lust as he eyed the flimsy black bra that held her creamy swelling breasts in place as they spilt over. He wished that he could capture this moment with a camera. His mouth was usually dry as he stood frozen in place. He didn't want to make the wrong move. She obviously wanted him, but he still wasn't sure about this. She slipped her warm hands underneath his shirt, bringing it up over his head, then she threw it onto the floor, and then she wrapped her arms around his masculine waist, pulling him down onto the bed on top of her.

He kissed down her neck and around her collarbone, before his head moved lower. Her skin tasted good. Salty. Heavenly. He kissed, sucked, and licked at her though the fabric of her bra, feeling a deep satisfaction as her nipples hardened through the thin material and her hands tangled through his hair, dragging his mouth back up to hers as she kissed him deeper, sucking on his tongue as he devoured hers, both of them breathing sharply. He broke off their kiss as he sat up with her, his hands venturing behind her back to unsuccessfully try to unhook her bra. It wouldn't give. His hands were shaking badly, fumbling over the little hooks and clamps. He couldn't get them to stop. He was getting agitated with his inability to undo a simple bra. He started yanking on it, his brows knitting together in concentration as a lock of his hair fell into his eye. He growled in frustration. The stupid contraption still wasn't cooperating. She laughed and pushed his hands out of the way to take over, letting the bra straps slide down her shoulders and arms, before she tossed it over the bed. He couldn't wait. He lowered his lips to claim one of her beautiful dark apexes as his as she finally got the bra off. She moaned airily, her hands fisted themselves in his soft hair.

His tongue whirled in delicate circles around her aroused skin and her back arched, bringing her more forcefully into his mouth. He pressed himself in between her thighs and she moaned so deliciously. He kissed down between her breasts, going down further as he kissed and lapped at her skin with his tongue as she wiggled underneath him, moaning softly as her head thrashed from side to side against the huge fluffy pillows. He trailed smoldering kisses down her quivering stomach and around her navel, his nose breathing in the scent of her flesh, before he kissed and licked her strawberry shaped birthmark. He then pulled down her loose fitted jeans and skimpy panties over and down her well- rounded hips and thighs, before tossing it over his shoulder without a backwards look, and then he slithered some more down her body, opening up her thighs and gazing at her seeping wet pussy. He wanted to be inside of her now. He wanted to thrust himself deep into her. He didn't know if he could hold off any longer. He already knew that he was going to take her quick. He would just have to make up for it later. That's if he would even have a next time. Tonight it was just them.

Ezra bent his head and kissed the top of her hairy mound, hearing as she cried out his name, then he licked at her swollen glistening lips and nipped at the pink folds with his teeth as she cried out his name again, then he parted her slippery pussy lips, and then his tongue delved into her heat, his tongue flicking against her erect clitoris, before he sucked on it. She bucked against him, feeling a wave of passion, stronger than anything she had ever felt before overcome her as her hands kept his head in place as he continued to lick, suck and nibble as he ate her out, flickering his tongue back and forth as her body writhed out of control. She was getting close. He felt it. He wasn't going to disappoint. He amped up his technique. He thrusted his masterful tongue in and out of her palpitating walls, before sucking up her creamy white cum as it oozed out from her pussy. He groaned inside of her, loving how her juices tasted inside of his mouth.

Aria couldn't take anymore as she shoved at his shoulders, before she pushed him onto the bed, her mouth coming down on his. His lips parted and she met his tongue with her own, tasting herself, tasting him, sweeping the contours of his mouth, and then she tore her mouth away from his as she feasted on his neck, collarbone, and his shoulder blades. He tasted spicy and salty. She kissed a straight wet trail down his beautiful crafted chest and taut stomach, each slow kiss causing him to groan as her lips continued down lower and lower until she reached his jeans. It was a good thing he wasn't wearing a belt. She bent her head, her long sheet of luscious dark brown hair fell to one side and partially curtained her face, but half of her expression was enough for him to see the concentration and effort she was getting ready to put into pleasuring him. She kissed the obvious big bulge in his pants, before she used her mouth and teeth and worked fiercely to unbutton and unzip them, pulling them off along with his boxer shorts and white padded socks, and then she dropped them onto the floor.

One of her hands came up to grasp his very hard cock gently at the base, before her succulent full lips descended downwards until they enclosed around his tip entirely, causing a sharp hiss from him as his hands gripped the covers beneath him, struggling not to thrust his hips. Her tongue licking and circling around his mushroom shaped head as her hand leisurely ran up and down his length as she took more of him into her mouth, before releasing him to run a wet trail of saliva along the veins imprinted on his cock as her tongue licked and kissed around his most sensitive spots, and then she took him back into her warm mouth. She took him deeper and deeper, sucking him as she relaxed her gag reflexes around him, before her head moved up and down in a gradual rhythm. He was moaning as she pulled on his length harder. Faster. He couldn't hold back as he started to thrust his hips, pushing more of himself down her throat. She was groaning as she squeezed and jerked on him, causing slurping noises with her mouth as her head bopped up and down still.

He felt himself coming dangerously close, thrusting his hips faster as he grunted deep in his throat as she slowed down. She gave one last pull on his length and his eyes rolled back in his head as his cock jerked, exploding in a climax as his cum filled her opened mouth and trickled down her throat as she swallowed. He took a few minutes and caught his breath, and then he flipped her onto her back, before he came down on top of her, his mouth moving over hers as he positioned his cock at her center. He pulled back suddenly, causing her to stare up at him with dark glazed over eyes, one of her hands grabbed onto his waist and her other hand held onto the back of his neck.

"What's wrong?" Aria asked in a raspy voice as her eyes cleared a little. "Why did you stop?"

"We should stop," Ezra said hoarsely, not really wanting to as he made to get off of her, but her hands stopped him as they kept him firmly on top of her.

"I know that's not want you really want," Aria said breathlessly, able to read right through him.

"It's not, but I didn't buy any condoms," Ezra told her, hoping that she wouldn't let that stop them.

"I'm on the pill, remember?" Aria reminded him, not pushing him off of her.

He was relieved. He couldn't believe that she wanted him. He couldn't believe that she wanted to have sex with him. He couldn't believe that she liked him. That she was attracted to him. She was just so god damn beautiful. He was nothing special. He was just an ordinary guy that had many flaws and made a lot of mistakes.

"Wrap your legs around my waist," Ezra instructed in a thick voice, staring down into her beautiful face. She did so without pausing, her shapely legs wrapped tight around him, feeling as the tip of his cock brushed against the wet folds of her lips.

He was anxious to push inside of her. He mentally told himself to calm down. He didn't want to act like some savage animal. His dick got harder and harder, the pain nearly choking him.

"Jesus," Ezra groaned against her mouth as he thrusted deep and hard into her, stretching her around him.

She was wet and impossibly tight. He hoped he wasn't hurting her.

"God," Aria gasped out, her fingernails digging into the back of his neck and his waist as she wiggled her hips, nearly pushing him over the edge.

He held her pressed against the bed, pumping slowly and deeply as she panted and moaned. His body trembled, tense and straining with the effort to go slow as his need to ravish mounted. Her gaze, black like onyx in the dim light, stayed fixed on his. He thrust harder, deeper, faster. Her breath hitched and her eyes started to close. He wanted to see her. To watch her.

"Look at me," He rasped. "I want to watch you".

Her eyes sprung back open and focused on him. And he drove her on, sinking deep into that tight, wet heat. She whimpered and arched her back as she thrusted her hips upwards to meet his, her hand clutched his hair.

"Ezra," She breathed against his lips, before she thrusted her tongue into his mouth as she kissed him passionately.

The need to go faster took over as he started to pound into her heated walls, his hands moving off the bed to cup each of her full sized breasts, his thumbs pinching and flicking her dark nipples as he plunged deeper and deeper, stretching her more as she screamed, her inner walls constricted around him. He hissed out. If he kept up this pace he wouldn't last. He rolled them over without breaking their link so that now she was on top of him, their mouths still glued to one another as their tongues molded together and flickered against the other.

"Ride me, Aria," Ezra breathed harshly into her mouth as he thrusted upwards into her, his hands still cupping her soft breasts and his fingers fingering the hard tips of her nipples as he groan.

She did just that, riding and bouncing up and down on him as she opened her thighs wider to take him deeper into her body, her hands grasping parts of his chest as she steadied herself. Up and down she moved, then she circulated her hips, grinding her pussy onto his hard swelling cock, and then she moved back and forth, moans and cries falling out of her mouth. Then his hands wandered down her body, groping and stroking, before they gripped onto her ass as he brought her down onto his thrusting member as her name tore from his throat. His hands moved back up her body to her slim waist, directing her movements as she thrusted down and he thrusted up at the same time, causing remarkable friction between them as they both moaned.

Aria sat up, flinging her wild tangled hair back behind her shoulders, still moving up and down on him as she squeezed her inner walls around him, coating him more with her wetness as the bed groaned underneath them. Her mouth was agape as he kept pushing up into her, his head lifting up off the pillow to suck and bite on her nipples as she moaned out from pain, lifting herself up and slamming back down again on him. She swirled and rocked on him, biting on her bottom lip as her head fell backwards as she rode him even harder, her fingernails breaking his skin. He sped up his thrusting, causing her to do the same as their bodies lined with sweat, their harsh breathing mingling together as he pumped up into her tight slippery pussy. He felt himself about to come, feeling as she was on the same verge as him. God, he wished that he could wait longer, but he couldn't.

Ezra rolled them back over so that he was back on top of her again, drilling deeply into her as her hands moved down his muscled back, her nails scraping and digging into his skin, before her hands gripped his ass, feeling as he moved in and out of her. He was buried so deep inside of her. He didn't know if he could go any further. Her body kept drawing him in. He pushed harder inside of her, causing her to scream, but not to pull away as her hands and legs gripped him tighter to her as she twirled her hips. His blue eyes stared down into hers intensely as his mouth came down to claim hers again, feeling her hot tears. She was crying. His eyes opened back up to stare back into hers, slowing down his movements.

"Why are you crying?" Ezra asked huskily, continuing his thrusting inside of her as she moaned before answering him.

She felt so good. So wet. So tight.

"Because I want this. I want you," Aria groaned brokenly, her hips pushing upwards to feel his pulsating cock filling her whole.

He kissed her deeply, saying what he wanted to say without really saying it as she kissed him back, one of her hands coming up to hold onto the side of his neck as their lips moved together softly, and then he kissed her tears away, whispering to her that everything would be all right. He wanted to stay like this forever. To never move from inside of her. He wanted her so desperately. It scared him to know how much he wanted her as he pumped harder into her. Deeper as she mimicked him. He could love her. He could fall so easily for her. He could fall mindlessly and wildly in love with her. The kind of love that drove otherwise sane men to marry, buy houses in the suburbs, and have children and pets. That kind of life didn't seem too bad. He wanted that. He wanted that with her. He would be willing to give up anything. He wanted to make her his. But, he only had one night. One night to make love to her. Making love sounded so intimate. It was sacred. His whole body was tingling as she drew him even deeper into her body than before, her inner walls constricting around him again as she climaxed around him, screaming as her body jerked in every which way.

He plunged two more times into her, before giving over to his own orgasm as his cum squirted deep inside of her, and then he climaxed again, feeling his entire body humming in his aftermath. He collapsed on top of her, before rolling off of her, and then he drew her body to nestle into his side as he propped himself up on his elbow to gaze down into her face. She was so beautiful. Her eyes were closed tight as her chest rose and fell. He studied her face closely, a frown forming on his lips. He didn't want her to regret what they had done. Her eyes finally opened as she looked up into his eyes, smiling softly as she bit on her bottom lip. The frown left his mouth as he smiled back down at her, before he grabbed her right hand, running his fingers over the tattoo on her inner wrist as Goosebumps broke out on her skin. He read the scripted words, 'Fated To Love You'.

"What does this mean?" Ezra asked quietly, his heart still pumping pretty fast.

Her eyes stared down at the tattoo sadly, before her eyes went back up to his.

"It's a matching tattoo that I got with Adam in New Orleans," Aria said solemnly, distantly. "It's not a lie, because I will always love him".

"It's beautiful," Ezra said softly as he kissed the tattoo, feeling her shiver.

She looked at him seriously.

"Is it wrong if I don't regret what we did?" Aria asked sleepily, yawning as her eyes drooped.

"No," Ezra said seriously, seeing as she fought to keep her eyes open. She was too cute, feeling himself smile again. "Get some sleep".

Ezra reached down to the foot of the bed to wrap the big afghan around their naked bodies as Aria turned away from him, snuggling back into him as he wrapped his arm around her waist. She was soon asleep, snoring lightly. He just watched her sleep, before he felt his own eyes falling. He was tired. He pulled Aria tighter against him, and then he buried his face into her neck and fell asleep too. He didn't know how long he had slept as he yawned and opened his eyes, seeing the empty place beside him. He looked around the dark room, not seeing Aria in sight. He strained his ears to hear, but nothing. He didn't hear any sound but his own breathing. She was gone. It was like she was never really there.

**There you go another update for you. I still can't believe that this is actually my third time posting in the same month. Shocker. Lol. I definitely need a break you guys, so I'll have the next chapter up next month. Review! Always review. I love reading you guys' comments. I'm sorry that the chapter was so short, but I had already planned it out. If I made any mistakes then I apologize. I just wanted to have this chapter up. Remember, don't forget to review. If I get a lot, then I might update again next week ;).**


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

**Aria POV**

"Diana," Aria screamed as she eyed her scarred up pair of expensive heels that she held up in her hands to get a good look at the damage they had received.

Her black feline came trudging in her bedroom at that very moment, stopping and cocking her head sideways as she looked up at a very angry Aria. Her expression seeming to say that she had done nothing wrong. Aria couldn't believe how stubborn Diana was. She was just as bad as Aria herself. She never saw anything she done wrong. Another trait she had picked up from Aria.

"Really, Diana?" Aria all but screamed again, knowing that she was overeating, but she had a lot to deal with. She had enough on her plate without having to deal with her cat destroying her things. "I paid a lot of money for these shoes, and now you have gone and messed them up! How I'm I supposed to fix them?"

Her cat just continued to give her a blank look, before she meowed softly as she made her way up to Aria, rubbing herself up against Aria's legs, stretching. All of Aria's initial anger just deflated as she dropped the pair of shoes. What was wrong with her? Why was she so upset over something as materialistic as a pair of shoes? Why was she mad at Diana? She had done nothing wrong to deserve Aria's anger. Who was she really angry with? Diana wasn't the reason that Adam was dead. Unfortunate circumstances were the cause. She felt ashamed at her behavior, bending down to scoop up her growing cat into her arms as she plopped down ungraciously onto the middle of her bed. Hot tears of pure frustration rolled down her cheeks as she coddled her kitten in her lap, rocking back and forth with her as her fingers scratched Diana satiny coat.

She couldn't believe her unjustified behavior. She cried harder, letting everything go. She let out all the hurt she was experiencing as she cradled Diana more tightly to her heaving breasts. Diana purred deeply as she snuggled more into Aria's lap, offering what little comfort she could. Gut- wrenching sounds tore out of her mouth as she cried brokenly, choking on her uncontrollable sobs. She couldn't stop. She didn't want to. She couldn't stop the tears from falling, down her cheeks, her lips, and down onto her shirt. She had never cried so much. So hard. Her heart was hurting. It was broken. She just missed Adam so much; her teary eyes darted around her bedroom to spot all the pictures with her and Adam in them, then to his favorite hockey jersey that still hung inside her closest, and to his class ring on her bed side table. Why did he have to die? She asked herself as she sobbed even harder than before. Why couldn't he just live for her? Why didn't he fight harder? Fight for them? Why did he leave her all alone? Why did he have to give up? Why were there so many evil people in the world? She had once thought that Rosewood was the safest place in the world. Boy, how wrong she had been to have believed that. She didn't know what to do anymore. She didn't know how to deal with this. She was lost. She was numb. She felt dead inside, feeling a steely hand wrapping itself around her heart. She couldn't feel anything. She didn't know if she could feel anything. She didn't want to feel anything. She didn't want to care. Caring only caused you pain. How could she let anyone else in? She didn't want to feel this way. She hated it. She hated crying. She was sick of crying. Sick of the tears. Of the heartache. Of feeling helpless. She was tired of feeling sad all the time. She was tired of feeling down and depress. She missed being happy, bold and selfish, and having fun. Why did love have to hurt so much? She asked herself, not getting a reply back. Loving someone sucked. There were so many ups and downs when you were in love.

She didn't want to go through this again. Was she always supposed to fear losing someone she loved? How was that normal? How was that living? Could she open her heart up again to someone, knowing that they could possibly die? It was depressing even having to think about it. She bit her bottom lip, wanting to quell that troubling possibility. She couldn't be that unlucky. Would fate really be that cruel to her? She had loved him so much. She never knew that she could love another person so much aside from Byron, Ella, and her brother Mike. Had loved him more than anything. Anyone. Her crying grew louder in volume, her teeth sinking cruelly into her bleeding bottom lip as the feel of warm tangy blood flowed into her mouth. She didn't feel it. She didn't feel the pain. She didn't care if anyone heard her cries. Not Byron, Ella, or Mike. She needed to grieve. She wanted to get away from Rosewood. She wanted to escape. Rosewood just held too many bad memories. She felt like she was going crazy. She was at her lowest point. She didn't know if she could get through this. She didn't know if she was able to. She felt like she was having a mental breakdown. She feared for her sanity.

Aria fell back onto her bed, crawling up into a ball with Diana nestling beside her as more tears leaked from her red puffy eyes as she wiped her runny nose with the palm of her hand. She tried her best to rub them away, but more were falling in their place, so she gave up and continued weeping. God, she just wanted to be with him again. To see and talk to him again. To tell him everything she had wanted to. To feel him surrounding her completely. To feel him inside of her. To feel him touching her, and to feel him kissing her. She was never going to get those chances again. She bit on her injured lip again, feeling as more of her blood rushed into her mouth. Her blood mixed with her tears. It was an odd combination. She just wanted to lie there and wallow in her misery. She had every right to. She wasn't hurting anyone. She was only hurting herself. Good, she thought. She didn't care about herself at the moment.

She couldn't help missing him. She was going to miss his sense of humor, his boyish smile and how that lit up his sea green eyes, going to miss his laughter, his compassion and playfulness, and the way that he talked about certain things. She was going to miss all of that. They were never going to go off to college together, or live together and share bills, or talk about marriage and starting their own family together, or have different matters of opinions. He was gone forever, and he was never coming back. She hated the whole world. Hated everyone and everything. Hated god himself. He was cruel and unjust. He had taken two people she had cared about and loved. Her cries grew silent, but her tears still cascaded down her face. Diana and Adam's family were all she had left of him. They were her last link to him. She pressed a shaky hand to her stomach, wishing that there was a small Adam growing inside of her. She could then have something to remember him by. Having pictures or having memories wasn't the same. A child would solidify that he had lived, loved, and that he had been there. She pressed her hand harder to her tummy, imagining that she felt a small flutter. She wished that she could give something back to Adam's family. To help them heal. A child would do that. She banished that hopeful dream, knowing that it wasn't possible. She and Adam had used condoms every time. Her eyelids started to droop. She let them, crying herself to sleep as she let the sounds of Diana's purring carry her off into a deep sleep, tear drops clinging to her long ebony colored eyelashes.

She woke up. She couldn't believe that she had fallen asleep. She looked over at her clock as she sat up, not disturbing a napping Diana. She had to get to school. It was her last week of school. She was mighty happy about that. It was late, but she didn't have to be at school any particular time. She just had to go long enough to take two more of her exams and then she could leave. That was the beauty about the last week of school. You could basically do what you want, just as long as you completed all of your required exams and projects. She got up from the bed, feeling tired than she ever had before as she stretched. She winced, pulling a muscle in her leg. She had slept all wrong. She went over to her vanity table. She thought about applying make-up, but she didn't bother with it. She eased on down onto the bench like seat.

God, she looked terrible. She was very pale. Sickly even. Her naturally big brown eyes looked haunted, bags and dark circles were underneath her eyes, her once high cheekbones looked sunken in, giving off a hallow appearance, her once luxurious and vibrant dark long hair looked dead and dull, and she had lost a few pounds. Pounds she didn't need to lose. She was almost too skinny, her hands running down her sides as she felt her ribcage. It was no wonder. She couldn't keep any food down. Her clothes hung off of her. Where had her voluptuous figure gone? Who was this ghastly person staring back at her? How could Mr. Fitz still find her desirable in this state? How could he think that she was still beautiful? She was hideous. She had once cherished her looks and shapely figure, but not anymore. She didn't care. She turned away from the mirror in distaste, and then she got up from the vanity table, not wanting to see how disgusting she had become. She took off her boy shorts and small tank top, going for a short sleeved t-shirt, a black pair of women stretchy Harem Capri cropped pants with studs that made up waist, and then she pushed her feet down into a pair of nude suede concealed platform lace up spike stud block high heel boots, before heading off into the bathroom. She grabbed her hairbrush off of her double sink, then she brushed through her hair, working out the tangles and then she held the long locks back from her face and pinned her hair up into a spiral staircase braided bun, and then she left out of the bathroom. She then grabbed her large handbag, pocketing everything that she needed, before she bounded down the stairs, finding Ella in the kitchen.

She thought back on Adam's funeral. It had been a quiet little ceremonial with all his family members', friends and teachers, and Arai's own family. It had been lovely. It had been a perfect send off. So many people had spoken, herself included. Poems had been read. Beautiful songs had been sung. Her eyes had kept gazing at the big picture of him that was set up on a stand and surrounded by big bouquet of colorful flowers. She had sat up front in the first pew with the family. Had kissed his cold lips as he had lain still in the casket. He had looked handsome and peaceful. Had cried along with everyone else. She had held on to his sister Lauren as they had cried together, had held his mother's hand at the gravesite, and had hugged his father more than once. Had placed a long red rose on top his closed casket, before standing back with everyone else as she watched him be lowered into the ground. His death had never been more finally. She had skipped the gathering at his father's house afterwards, wanting to be alone. She shook her head clear; she didn't want to think about that sad day anymore. She would choose to remember him how she had last seen him. Relived the last moments with him in her head.

Aria thought back to last night when she had gone to Mr. Fitz's apartment. It had been very real. Her mind hadn't played a trick on her. Their time together had been very real. She still felt it. Had flashbacks of it, coming to her in small doses at a time. A pint-sized smile graced her mouth, pulling at the corners to become wider. She felt some many feelings about last night. She still didn't regret it. She still didn't regret what they had done. She wouldn't take the night back for anything. So much had happened. It had been a pretty rare moment between them. They had finally talked. They both had been very honest, real, and upfront. They hadn't held anything back from the other. He hadn't pressured her into anything that she didn't want to do. He had been more cautious, letting her take the reins.

She had been touched by his concern for her, and how he had been very sympathetic about Adam's death. He had showed her that he cared. She had very much enjoyed their one night together on her terms. That's all it could ever been, one night until she got her head together. She didn't want to mislead him. She had made the right decision by going to him. She had needed him so badly. Had needed someone who could understand what she was going through. Had needed a friend. Had needed to feel safe. She had needed someone to talk to. Someone that she knew would listen. Someone that she had a connection with even if she didn't want to admit it at times. They shared an attraction. They were feelings between them. Feelings that weren't spoken, but expressed in other ways last night. She had never felt so whole and so complete than she did last night. Mr. Fitz had made her feel that way. She knew that it wasn't a game, or something pretend with him. She had saw the real him for the first time. She had seen past his flaws and mistakes. She had seen the real man underneath. He had been there for her in so many ways. She couldn't thank him enough. Just in one night he had been so amazing. They didn't just have sex last night. It had been beyond that. It had been on a higher level. They had made love. They had never made love before. They had come together so mutually last night. She had never loved kissing him, or having sex with him than she did with him last night. Her old feelings and new ones from last night was whirling around in her head. He had, had her body engulfed in flames. What did all this mean? She didn't know. Ella's voice interrupted her train of thoughts.

"Are you hungry?" Ella asked Aria as she took down two plates from the top cupboard.

"No," Aria said over her shoulder as she opened up the refrigerator to grab a bottle of white grape juice.

"You really should eat some breakfast, Aria," Ella said as she looked over her daughter with concern, not liking that she was neglecting food and that she was losing a tremulous amount of weight.

"I'm not hungry," Aria said truthfully, eyeing the crispy bacon, eggs and grits, and buttery toast with disdain as she perched onto a barstool.

"I want you to eat," Ella said strictly as she pushed the plate of food over towards her.

When Aria didn't move to pick up her plate and continued to look down at the food with disdain, Ella gave her a hard look, not backing down. She too could be very stubborn. Aria guessed that she got that from Ella.

"I'm not giving you a choice," Ella said with finality in her voice.

Aria picked up her fork reluctantly, taking a bite of eggs and a bite of her toast, before shoving the plate away. Ella just shook her head disapprovingly. She knew there was no point in arguing with Aria. She couldn't win if she pushed her.

"Where were you last night?" Ella asked, dumping the plate of food that Aria had into the garage can, before she fixed her own plate of food. "I'm very concerned about you. I don't want you out too late at night. Not after what happened to Adam".

"I was just somewhere," Aria said evasively, not telling Ella that she had been with Mr. Fitz. She couldn't. It was her business. She was an adult. "Do you think it's wrong if I have feelings for someone else?"

Ella thought that over, before answering, her face inscrutable.

"No, I think it's perfectly natural for you to be drawn to someone else," Ella said as she looked into her eyes, not judging her.

Aria felt relieved. She had thought that it was wrong. She was glad that Ella didn't think so.

"How about if I sort comfort with that same person last night?" Aria asked quietly, before shifting slightly on the barstool as she gauged her mother's reaction.

Ella stopped eating, and then she looked up at Aria, seeing the look of guilt that crossed over her face for a split second, before it disappeared.

"What are you saying, Aria?" Ella asked, needing her to explain.

"I'm saying that I had something going on with this person first before I got involved with Adam," Aria said, speaking clearly and softly as she stared back into Ella's eyes. Would she see her differently? "I liked this person so much. I had finally gotten him after all my boldness and my unwillingness to give up. We had left things unresolved between us. I can't feel bad about how I feel. I can't bring myself to regret last night".

"I see," Ella said quietly, still digesting everything that Aria had said. She still wasn't judging her. She just looked thoughtful. She looked like she was contemplating something. "Don't regret if something happened between you to last night. You have the right to grieve in any way that you want, just as long as you're safe. No one should judge you. They don't have the right. I know that it's not the right thing to say, but I'm actually glad that you're trying to move on".

"Technically, I'm not really moving on. I just needed him last night. I just needed to feel something other than pain," Aria said softly as she played with her bottle of untouched juice she hadn't yet opened. "And I don't feel bad about it. I needed him more than anyone".

"Aria, you are moving on. Even if you don't realize it," Ella said, smiling sadly, before reaching over to place her hand on top of Aria's, giving it a light squeeze. "But also, take your time and figure out what you want. Don't rush into something else if your heart's not completely healed from Adam's death. Make the right decisions. Not the wrong ones. Know what you really want. If this other guy is who you want, then don't rush it. I'm sure that he'll wait until you're ready for something much more. Give yourself some time to fully heal. Don't string this other guy along. Don't send him mixed signals. He doesn't deserve that. Don't give him half of yourself. You give him all of yourself".

"Thanks, mom," Aria said gratefully, taking her advice as she got up from the barstool.

"You're welcome, and I'm here if you need me for any other advice," Ella said with a smile, before pushing away her own barely touched food.

Aria made to leave out of the kitchen, but Ella stopped her. She turned back around to face her.

"Aria, I too know what it's like to be in love with two people," Ella said rather sadly, her eyes full of sadness and they were dewy. "I was involved with someone else before Byron. I loved him very much. I thought he hung the moon. He was my first crush. My first love. My everything".

"What happen to this other guy that you loved before Byron?" Aria asked, wanting to know.

"He died," Ella said solemnly, before walking out of the kitchen, leaving Aria to stare after her. She never knew. So her and Ella did share something else in common. She understood her mother more now.

Aria jumped into her 2012 blue Ford Focus, and then she headed off to school. She had finally saved up enough money for her own car. It felt great driving something that she owned. That she brought herself with her own money. She had only had to put down a total of two thousand dollars. She had set up a payment plan with the dealer, only having to shell out a decent amount of cash every month. That meant she couldn't quit either one of her jobs. She had to work both if she wanted to keep her car. She didn't want to lose it. She had already become too attached to it. She had even named it. The car still had that new smell to it. She had even purchased car accessories' online to complement her taste. Seat covers, a steering wheel cover, and floor mats just to name a few. She pulled into the school parking and found a park, then she grabbed her handbag off the passenger seat beside her, and then she got out of the car, before clicking the automatic lock device on her keychain and headed up to the school. Upon entering the school building, she walked over to the big bulletin board that had the scores for the first half of the exams already posted. Her eyes scanned the list, easily finding her name. She saw that she had scored high on both her English and Physics exams. She could hardly hold in her excitement, mentally clapping herself on the back for a job well done as she headed off to take her Algebra exam that was being held in the cafeteria.

She left out the cafeteria after the Algebra exam had ended, feeling fairly confident that she had passed it with flying colors. It had been extremely hard and beyond complicated, but she had took her time and did the best that she could. She chewed on her bottom full lip, going over the things she could have down differently, but she shook her head. There was nothing she could do now. She had already handed in her exam. Along with her sheet of white paper she had worked the problems out on, and the graphing calculator they had provided to her. She just had to wait back for the results. She blew out a breath, and then she headed in the direction of the library to take her U.S. History exam, knowing that she wouldn't have any problems preforming that one. She knew that the exam would be just like the practice exams she had done in her U.S. History class, just done in different order. She walked into the library and found a table in the very back, and then she put her handbag down on the table and sat down, before getting started as the instructor put a number two pencil and the exam paper in front of her. She decided to read the questions in each section first, and then she would go back to read the paragraphs'. She found that it was much easier and that she would get done quicker. She crossed her legs underneath the table as her fingers drummed against the desk, her mouth moving as she read silently, before bubbling in her answers. She flew through the exam and was done by the time the timer went off to end the exam. She got up to leave, leaving her exam paper and the number two pencil behind on the table.

She then walked towards the yearbook staff room to unpack the many boxes with the help of the other members' as they began to issue out the yearbooks to their fellow classmates. The room grew overcrowd in record time, forcing her to set up five waiting lines. She took a few minutes out to put her own yearbook along with Spencer, Hanna, and Emily's into a separate box, then she took it out to her car in the parking lot, and then she came back to issue out more yearbooks to both students and the teachers. When they were done handing out the yearbooks, her and the other yearbook staff members packed away the extra copies and stored them away, and then she left. She had a desire to find out how she had done presenting her junior project, passing the many students in the hallways as they run around getting other people to sign their yearbooks.

Aria knew that she had to go in see Mr. Fitz to find out about her junior project as she walked down towards his classroom. He was her mentor. She chewed on her lower again, feeling the nervous butterflies in her stomach. She thought about last night, secretly hoping that he wasn't mad about her leaving while he was asleep. She hadn't wanted to disturb him. He had looked so peaceful. Boyish even. She had watched him as he slept, before she had gotten up from the bed and got dress. She had fought the urge to kiss him and to run her hands down his beautiful chest and her fingers along his muscular arms. She shivered inwardly. He was such a beautiful man. There wasn't anything ordinary about him. She still couldn't believe that he liked her. There wasn't anything special about her. She finally made it to his classroom door, looking in at him as he packed up his belongings as he got ready to leave. Her heart was beating much faster as she knocked lightly on the door, alerting him to her presence. He looked up, his gorgeous blue eyes meeting her darker brown ones. He broke out into a smile, before gesturing her into the room. She came in, closing the door behind her as she walked up towards him as he came from around his desk to stand in front of her. His eyes and his whole person consumed her, drawing her in as they just stood there staring at the other. She could read in his eyes that he didn't know what to make of last night. His eyes dropped from hers to look her over. What did he see? Did he think that she was too skinny also? That she was too pale? Too haunted looking? She shifted uncomfortably under his scrutiny. She knew that he didn't mean anything by it, before his eyes came back to rest on hers again.

"Hi," Mr. Fitz said quietly, his eyes searching into hers.

"Hi," Aria said softly, shyly, before she crossed her arms over her breasts, biting her bottom lip.

He cleared his throat.

"About last night, was it real? It wasn't a dream, was it?" Mr. Fitz asked her, hoping that last night between them had happened.

"It was very real," Aria answered breathlessly, wanting to stare into his eyes all day, before she shook her head, wanting to clear that dumb notion. What was wrong with her? Why was she acting like some giddy school girl with a crush? She didn't know. "I'm sorry that I just took off on you last night, but I had to get back home. I hope that you're not mad".

"Good, because I was thinking that it was all in my head," Mr. Fitz laughed lightly, before he looked nervously over at the door, checking to see if anyone was watching them, and then he moved closer to her. "And I understand. I'm not angry".

"I loved making love with you," Aria just threw it out there, biting harder on her bottom lip as her eyes held his piercing ones as she watched as they got darker before her very eyes. She wanted him to kiss her, and then again, she didn't want him to. "I needed that last night. I needed that type of distraction".

"So, you still don't regret what we did?" Mr. Fitz asked her, wanting to reach out and touch her as he waited with bated breath for her reply.

"No," Aria said without compunction, before she placed her hand against his chest, feeling the skittering of his heartbeat. She was doing this to him. Her very touch caused this reaction from him. She didn't understand why. Her outward appearance had changed so much since Adam's death. How could he still find her so attractive? So desirable? She was all skin and bones. "I meant what I said last night. I have no regrets".

She saw in his eyes that he wanted to kiss her, silently asking her if he could.

"I really want to kiss you right now, but I don't think it would be such a good idea," Mr. Fitz said hoarsely, his hand wrapping around hers. "You really are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, Aria".

"I don't think so either," Aria said in a whisper, moving her hand from off of him, and then she took a step back to create some space between them, her body mourning for his.

"What now? I mean with me and you?" Mr. Fitz asked, wanting to defy his mind, and just do everything that his body wanted.

Aria shrugged her shoulders, before sighing as she shook her head.

"I do have feelings for you, but I still need more time to deal with Adam's death and to sort out all of my feelings for you and what I want, because I'm not really sure as of now," Aria said honestly, needing him to understand her dilemma. "I don't want to send you mixed messages', or lead you on. I'm not ready to rush into anything at the moment. I need time and space. I need to think about what it is I want. I don't want to hurt you. I don't want to give you half of myself. You deserve all of me".

He nodded his head, telling her without speaking that he understood.

"Aria, I'll give you all the time that you need, and I'll keep my distance from you," Mr. Fitz promised as his eyes looked deep into hers. "The last thing I want to do is pressure you, or rush you into something that you're not ready for. I can wait for however long it will be. I told you before; I want a real relationship with you".

"Thanks," Aria said with gratitude, loving that he got where she was coming from. "Thanks for being there for me last night, and thanks for respecting my decision".

"You're welcome," Mr. Fitz said calmly, his heart desperately wanting to connect with hers.

She turned to leave out of the room, but he called her back.

"What was it you came here for?" he asked, clearing his throat again as he moved back behind his desk.

"Oh, I totally forget," She laughed softly, smacking her forehead lightly at her forgetfulness. "I wanted to know how I did when I presented my junior project to the judges".

"You were fantastic. You did really well," Mr. Fitz told her, sounding very proud of her as he watched as the lovely smile stretched her lips. "Congratulations".

"Thanks," Aria said as she bit her bottom lip again, wanting to say something else to him, but she just turned and left.

Aria pulled up in front of the Brew, and then she got out, lifting the box of yearbooks off the backseat, before she made her way inside the bistro. The place was very zingy and multi-colored. It was the newest hangout spot in town. It was mostly occupied by kids from Rosewood high school. And it helped that the owner Zachary was very friendly and a big kid himself. She saw that Spencer, Hanna, and Emily had already found a table in the middle of the coffee shop. She walked over to them, hugging each of them, before she handed them their yearbook, and then she sat down as they ordered drinks and a variety of pastries. They passed their yearbooks around the table so that they all could sign the other's yearbook. The waitress returned with their drinks and basket of pastries. She grabbed a doughnut with red icing and sprinkles, finding her appetite returning as she bite into the small soft cake as she licked up the cream filling that was inside her doughnut as it got on her fingers. It was very sticky and messy, but she loved it all the same.

"I've missed this you guys," Emily was the first one to admit as she looked to each of her friends, a smile adorning her face. "I really miss us spending time together and just hanging out like this".

"We do as well," Aria, Spencer, and Hanna all agreed.

"We all have to promise to make more time for each other," Spencer said as she dumped a packet of sugar into her coffee. "I'll admit I have been way too preoccupied with exams, work and my junior project, and Wren".

"Amen sister," Hanna said as she broke off a piece of her cinnamon bun and popped it into her mouth. "The school's gossip column, exams and my junior project, and Caleb have had all of my attention".

"So, we fix that," Aria said as she first looked to Hanna, then Spencer, and then to Emily, before she reached for another doughnut, this one with blue icing and sprinkles.

"We've been friends since we were all little girls, and I don't want us to drift apart again," Emily said, before drinking her cappuccino, and then she took a cherry tart from the basket.

"Em is right, we have too much history to just throw it all away," Hanna said as she agreed with Emily, not willing to just throw their friendship away. "I don't want to lose you guys. I love you. You guys are like the sisters that I never had".

"We love you too Han," Spencer said as she hugged her, before pulling back and embracing Aria, and then she hugged Emily.

"The summer is coming up, so we can spend a lot of time together," Aria suggested as she drank some of her espresso, before placing it back down on the table, and then she took another bite from her doughnut. "What are you guys plans? I'm working at Hollis as Byron's assistant and I'm going to be taking a few classes, but I still can make time for you guys".

"I'm working full time at the dentist office this summer, and I'm taking a writing class at the community college, but I'll still hang out with you guys. What about you Spence?"

"Like you Hanna, I'm also working full time at the pharmacy, volunteering at the hospital to spend some time with Wren and taking a law class at Hollis, and I'm also helping my mother at her law office, but that's not going to stop me from spending time with you guys. And you Emily?"

"I'm not working at the sports store this summer, but I am going to swimming camp, but I'll be back every other weekend," Emily told them as she took another sip of her cappuccino.

"I guess that settles that," Aria said as she finished off her doughnut, and then she drank some more of her espresso. "How did you guys do on your exams? I aced both of my English and physics exams".

"I got top marks on both my Algebra, and English exams," Spencer said with pride. "How did you do Hanna?"

"U.S. History was acceptable, but I really scored a high grade on my Algebra exam thanks to Spencer," Hanna said with a smile in Spencer's direction. "How did you do Em?"

"I did great on both my Physics and English exams," Emily said, before snatching another cherry tart from the basket. "How did you guys do on your junior project? I did rather well. How about you Aria? I mean you had Mr. Fitz for your mentor".

"Mr. Fitz told me that the judges said that I did fantastic," Aria said as she smiled, remembering how proud Mr. Fitz had been of her. "How did you do Han?"

"I passed, which means I'm going to the 12th grade, and that's all that matters," Hanna said with a smile, before stuffing the rest of the piece of cinnamon bun into her mouth, and then she called the witness over to get her another chocolate smoothie. "Did you pass also Spencer?"

"Of course, I like I knew I would," Spencer said with a bit of cockiness in her voice as she flashed a smile at her friends, before becoming serious as she looked towards Aria. "How are you really doing, Aria? You haven't talked about Adam".

She loved her friends dearly, and she knew that they were concern for her as she glimpsed it in their eyes, but she didn't want to talk about Adam with them. She wasn't ready.

"I'm getting there," Aria said shortly, not really liking where this conversation was headed. "Listen, I don't mean to sound rude, but I don't really want to talk about my feelings, or about Adam's death. I'm just not ready to talk about it. I still need some time to come to terms with what happened. I really hope you guys can understand that".

"Sure we can," Emily said with understanding, wrapping her arm around Aria's back. "I don't know what it's like to lose someone, but I really am sorry".

"I am too," Hanna concord, before reaching across the table to place her hand on top of Aria's. "Aria, Adam was a terrific guy. We'll all miss him".

"Just know that we will be here whenever you want to talk Aria," Spencer said as Hanna and Emily nodded their heads in agreement. "That's what friends are for. We lean on one another. You're not alone. You can always talk to us about anything that's bothering you. We'll listen. We care about you. Adam was our friend as well. We are not going to judge you for grieving in your own way".

"Thanks, guys," Aria said with a soft smile, realizing at that moment that she really did have the best friends in the world. "And I'm really sorry for shutting you guys out after Adam's death".

"We understood. You needed time," Hanna said, looking over at Spencer and Emily, seeing that they agreed with her.

Aria felt tears threating to fall from her eyes, but she pushed them back before they had a chance to fall. She was done with crying. All she wanted to do now was heal and move on. She would always love Adam, but they didn't mean that she had to stop living her own life or stay stuck in the past. She somehow knew that Adam would want her to get on with her life. That he wouldn't want her to be unhappy or sad forever. That he would want her to live for the both of them. She looked around at her friends, knowing that they would be with her on her road to recovery. Suddenly, the future didn't look to bleak anyone. She was actually looking forward to it. She wanted to see what it held for her.

**Wow, another chapter for you guys lol. I'm really taking a break after this one. So, what did you think? Always review! I love reading you guys' comments. Again, I'm sorry for the shortness of the chapter. If I made any mistakes I truly apologize. And there's only 4 more chapters left in this story : (.**


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

**Ezra POV**

**Two Months Later…**

Ezra flicked the lights back on, then he shut down the projector and packed away his notes to use for tomorrow, and then he assigned the college students in his course homework, before ending his lecture and dismissing them for today. He watched as they filed out the big classroom, and then he went up and down the rows to collect the papers they had left behind. To be perfectly honest, he loved teaching at Hollis. It was so much better than teaching in a regular class setting in Rosewood high school. He enjoyed it much better. It embellished his teaching capabilities. He taught so much better than before, enriching each word when he spoke passionately, and installing different perspectives' in their minds. He was seriously considering working there permanently. This position seemed to fulfill him more. He knew that he would have a great future working at Hollis. He saw it. He felt it. He could actually work out his own class scheduling. And plus he would be teaching more classes than only the required three he taught at Rosewood high school.

He collected the last of the papers, and then he headed back up to the front to pack up his belongings, his eyes roaming around the room. If he did decide to teach there at Hollis, then this would be his classroom. They had already offered him the job. He didn't know if he wanted to turn it down. The position offered a lot. There were some great benefits involved. Higher pay, great health and dental insurance, pay leave in case something should happen to him, he could make his own decisions' freely, he could work out his own scheduling and he would have a big office, he could have an assistant, and he had access to an unlimited library with really rare editions. He couldn't beat that. He had until the end of summer to come to a decision. He had always wanted to teach there at Hollis. He had a huge decision to make.

His mind strayed to Aria. God, he had missed her. He never knew a parson could miss someone so much that it physically hurt. It had been over two months since he had last seen her. It had been hell, but he had kept his word. He hadn't tried to see her or contact her in anyway. He had kept his distance. It had been very hard, but he had done it. He couldn't stop thinking about her. He so wanted to see her, but he knew that he couldn't. She had to be the one that came to him. Would she, would she come to him? A small voce in his head wished it. He wasn't dating anyone. He couldn't date anyone else when he had deep feelings for Aria. Feelings that only grew stronger with each passing day. He wanted her. He didn't want anyone else. He would wait for her. He didn't care however long it took. Aria was who he wanted to share a life with. To marry, to have a family, and to grow old with. She was the reason why he continued to get up in the morning. He had never felt that way before. Being apart from her for so long had awakened the notion that he was in fact in love with her. He was so in love with her. He wanted to tell her. He wanted to yell it from the rooftop. He was becoming bloody unhinged at the thought of not telling her. At the thought of not seeing her. He loved her. He had never loved anyone so much. He wanted so much with her. He wanted to marry her, to buy them a house together, and to raise a family with her. He was never so sure about marriage until Aria. She was the only woman that he wanted to settle down with. The only woman that he wanted to marry. He didn't want to marry anyone else.

"Ezra," A voice said from the door, bringing him out of his thoughts.

He knew that voice. He recognized that sultry voice. It belonged to Aria. He looked towards the door, seeing as she filled the doorframe. He could barely keep control of his emotions. He couldn't stop staring at her. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. He couldn't believe that she was really there with him. He couldn't speak. He had completely lost his tongue. She laughed softly at his speechlessness, the sound so beautiful. He had always loved it. Why was he staring at her like an idiot? Like a man loss for words. Say something, he cursed himself inwardly. His eyes looked her over, drinking their fill. She had changed. She looked older. More mature. She looked good. She had gained weight, but not enough to be considered fat. It looked good on her. Her face was rounder. Fuller. Her beautiful figure was even more curvaceous than before. Wait a minute, she had said his name. She had called him Ezra. Not Mr. Fitz. How come? He pulled his eyes away from her body to stare back into her face.

"I didn't even know that you were teaching here," Aria said with shock filling her voice as she walked into the room casually.

"Yeah, I am," Ezra said awkwardly as he finally found his voice, not able to hold back his smile. "And I didn't know that you were here either".

"I'm Byron's newest assistant," Aria informed him as she glanced about the room, taking it all in before she looked back at him. "And I'm taking some art classes just to have some credit before I come here after my senior year in high school that is".

"Oh, yeah. What type of classes are you taking?" Ezra asked with interest, wanting to know which ones captured her fascination.

"I'm taking a sculpting class, a pottery class, and a photography class," Aria said as though it wasn't such a big deal, but he knew that she loved them. He could tell by the way her eyes lit up as she described them.

"That's a very busy schedule you have," Ezra said, whistling. "Are you still working at the book rack and the Blue Ivy Grill?"

"Yes, I still need the money," Aria said with mild frustration in her voice, before smiling at him. "But I'm not complaining. I have to pay my car payments, for some other irrelevant stuff, and I'm saving up for college. Byron and Ella wouldn't mind helping me, but I don't want to ask my parents for anything. I want to make my own way".

"That's great. And that's highly understandable," Ezra said as he ran a hand through his hair, getting it.

"So, how long have you been working here?" Aria probed, before biting her bottom lip entrancingly.

She was just so damn gorgeous.

"Since the start of summer," Ezra answered. "And you, how long have you been taking classes here?"

"Likewise," Aria said as she flipped her hair out of the way to massage her neck.

"I can't believe that I never ran into you, but this is a big campus," Ezra said logically.

"What are you teaching here?" Aria asked interestingly, running a swift hand through her hair, before tousling the glossy locks as she bit on her bottom lip again. "Do you like teaching here?"

He moved his eyes from her plush lips, before answering her as he added more of his notes and books into his over-bulging shoulder bag. He really did have too much stuff in it.

"I'm teaching an English course," Ezra said as he looked up from stashing one last folder inside his bag, before zipping it up, and then he closed the flap. He then straightened his posture, before slinging his shoulder bag over his neck, and then he crossed his arms over his powerful chest. "And I love teaching here. It's a great teaching experience for me. I've always wanted to teach here".

"It sounds like you really love it here," Aria said with a beautiful smile on her face, before she ran another hand through her hair, tossing her silky mass of hair to the right side of her face as it cascaded down her shoulder and back. "Is it easier to manage a college course, or a high school course?"

Ezra gave her question some thought.

"I do love it here," Ezra said with fondness as his blue eyes swept over the classroom, before they came back to hers. They always came back to hers. "I'll say it's much easier with a college course. Flexible. I don't have to follow the school's criteria. I follow my own criteria".

"I figured as much," Aria said with a smug smile, her brown eyes sparkling as she shifted her handbag to her other shoulder, before her hand clasped tighter around her sand colored medium sized pottery bowl.

"You really do know me," Ezra said as he laughed, loving her satisfying smile. God, he loved her. Did she know? Could she feel it? He loved everything about her, including her flaws. He wouldn't change anything about her. She got him. He couldn't pretend with her. "What's that in your hand?"

He unfolded his arms to point at the artistic bowl in her arms.

"Oh," Aria said offputtingly as she gazed down at the bowl in her arms, forgetting that she even had it. "It's just a bowl I made in pottery class. Actually, I think it's pathetic and a little lopsided".

"I think it's prefect," Ezra said as he stared closely down at the pottery bowl.

She really did have a talent for it. She looked back up at him with skepticism, shaking her head as she laughed softly, her beautiful white teeth catching her bottom lip once more.

"You're very modest, but no. it's horrendous. I don't like it," Aria said with honesty, glancing down again as she scrutinized the bowl in her arms.

"I'll gladly take it off your hands," Ezra said, his eyes still glued to the bowl.

"Here," Aria said as she handed it over to him without a second thought. She really didn't have a problem with him having something she had made. Something that she had intended to throw away anyway. "Don't say I never gave you anything".

"Thanks. I'll find somewhere in my apartment to place it," Ezra said with a sexy smile, not realizing that he was even doing it, or that she was biting down on her bottom lip extra hard as her eyes nervously zoomed about the classroom to keep from looking at him. At that smile of his. "You really do look nice".

"Thanks," Aria said with a nervous smile as her eyes came back to his, running another thoughtless hand through her lustrous hair. "I don't like that I gained a lot of weight. I think I look fat, but I'm not all skin and bones anymore. So that's a bright side".

"Well, I don't think you look fat," Ezra said seriously, before clearing his throat when Aria looked at him strangely.

"Thanks," Aria said again, continuing to look at him strangely.

He nodded his head, before looking away from her, and then he stared back into her face, his eyes as piercing as ever as they bored into hers deeply. The last thing he wanted to do was make her feel things she wasn't yet ready for.

"How have you been?" Ezra asked conscientiously as his eyes continued to pierce hers as they knowingly did, generally wanting to know. Even though it had been two whole months since he had last seen her, he still wanted to know how she was taking Adam's death. Was she accepting it and coming to grips with it? He understood that it was hard. Was she ready to move on? Was she ready to be with him now? She was willing to give him all of herself and not part? Was she ready to jump into a relationship with him? Or was she still not ready? Was he who she wanted? With him keeping his promise to stay away from her, did she find all the answers she was searching for? He wanted to know. He watched as a forlorn look fell over her eyes, before it she pushed it back, staring back at him with a fresh pair of eyes. "To tell you the truth, it was hell trying to keep my distance from you, but I did it. I didn't want to push or pressure you. Are you mentally and physically ready to move forward? Has it been harder, or easier to accept that Adam's gone now? I don't want you to think that I'm trying to sound selfish, because I'm not".

"I'm good. Great actually," Aria said with a small smile, her brown eyes much brighter than he had ever seen them. They had a new light to them as she walked over to be much closer to him. She wanted to be near him. Wanted to see his eyes. To feel his closeness, and to revel in his clemency. "And you're not sounding selfish at all. You're just asking what you want to know. I'm still trying to take one day at a time, but I have accepted that Adam's dead and not going back, and I'm now ready to move on with my life. I know that I can't just stop living my life because he's dead. I don't want to be one of those people who are unwilling to move forward after they have suffered a loss. I refuse to be that type of woman. That's not me at all. A fortune teller, and I know how cliché that sounds, but she told me that my future is bright. And no matter which road I pick or which one is decided for me, that I'll still have the best of both worlds. I don't want to miss a shot at seeing out another great life that I'm meant to have".

He really wanted to ask her out. What did he have to lose? She could say no, he thought, but then again, she could say yes. He took a leap in faith. He cleared his throat again, re-crossing his arms over his well-built chest. This could be his only chance to ask her. He didn't want to miss this opportunity. Screw it. He wanted her to be his.

"Will you go out with me tonight?" Ezra asked patiently as his eyes penetrated hers, waiting on her answer.

He never felt more scared. He watched as the emotions played across her lovely features. She couldn't tell if he was really serious. He had to change that. He was dead serious. He wanted this. He wanted to take her out. He could see that she was mulling over his request in her head as her eyes ran over his perfectly sculpted face. He felt her apprehension. Excitement ,and her wonder. He flashed an encouraging smile, saying that he was more serious than she would ever know.

"Are you asking me out on a date?" Aria asked quietly as she crossed her arms over her breasts, wanting to know if she had perceived it right.

"I am," Ezra said without stuttering, or looking away from her eyes as he held them.

"What about what people will say?" Aria asked breathless, chewing on her lower lip with care. She really didn't care what they had to say, but she cared what people said about Ezra. She didn't want them crucifying him, or making him out to be some kind of monster. "I know that the state passed a law last month which states sixteen years of age is now considered an adult".

"Frankly, I don't care what other people will think," Ezra said very honestly, before shrugging his shoulder." I want to take you out on a date. I want to take you some place special, because you are special, Aria". She smiled softly, before running her fingers through her hair nervously. He could tell that she wanted to say yes, a frown suddenly gracing her soft mouth. "What's wrong? Did I say anything wrong?"

She shook her head no, biting harshly on her bottom lip as her eyes conveyed frustration and desire.

"You're still my teacher when the new semester starts," Aria said frustratingly, sweeping her fingers yet again into her dark tresses. "I don't want to make this difficult for you. I don't want to be the reason why you lose your job".

She looked so conflicted as she tried to do the right thing. The honest thing.

"That won't be a problem," Ezra said matter-of-factly, making his decision.

"How come?" Aria asked him softly, still chewing on her bottom lip as her eyes searched his, reading his confidence.

"Because I'm going to teach here when the new semester starts," Ezra told her, his eyes questioning hers. "They offered me a job here at Hollis, and just now, I'm accepting it. So you see, there's really nothing else stopping us".

A big smile broke out on her face, before she cooled it down, trying not to seem so happy, but she failed miserably.

"Then, my answer is yes. I'll go out with you tonight on a date," Aria said with a seductive smile, before she backed away from him, and then she headed back over towards the door.

"Okay then, I'll pick you up later," Ezra said with a huge smile upon his face as he followed her to the door, inhaling her flowery scent.

"Okay," Aria said as she bit down on her lip, before leaving out the room.

Ezra smeared shaving cream on the lower half of his face, then he took hold of his razor and shaved it off, before dunking it down into the foamy water, then he went back to shaving off the rest of the cream, and then he cupped water in both of his hands, bringing it up to his face to wash it clean. He then grabbed the small towel beside him and patted his face dry, and then he rubbed in some after shave which burned and tingled, before grabbing his tooth paste and toothbrush as he began brushing his teeth, then he used dental floss, and then he left out of the bathroom to head back into his bedroom. He untwisted the towel from around his beautiful masculine waist, letting it hit the floor as he walked over to his dresser to step into a pair of gray boxer briefs, then he pulled on long white padded socks, and then he threw on a pair of dark denim jeans that hung off his hip bones suggestively, before he ventured over to his closet to look for a suitable shirt. He scoured through the many shirts that hung on plain hangers, growing frustrated when he couldn't find a single decent shirt to put on. He definitely had to revamp his attire and go shopping. He couldn't understand why he was making it so hard. Why he was making such a big deal out of this? It was just Aria. He didn't need to impress her. She already liked him for him. It was just a date. Their first official date actually. He blew out an irritated breath, before running fierce fingers through his hair as he shook his head. Why was he making it so complicated it? It wasn't supposed to be this hard. He wondered if Aria was having a hard time finding something to wear like he was. He was sure that he was wasting time. He growled as he once again foraged through the massive pile of clothing, bypassing the many short sleeves, long sleeves and polo shirts, sweaters, vests and t-shirts, turtlenecks, suits and blazers, and dress shirts. This really couldn't be all that hard.

He smiled when he found a nice blue gray flannel one with short sleeves, he then looped a dark brown belt around his waist and sat down at the edge of his bed and pulled on a dark pair of brown boots, and then he got up, going over to grab his watch off his dresser, then he pocketed his brown leather wallet, but not before adding three extra one hundred dollar bills, and then he left out of his apartment and headed out to his parking garage, stashing his cell phone into his glove compartment. He chose to cut it off. He didn't want to receive any calls when he was out with Aria. He still couldn't believe that he was going out with her. That she had said yes. He never would have fathomed it. As he pulled out of his garage, he wondered what Aria was going to tell her parents. He knew that they would have an issue with him taking their daughter out. That he was even interested in her romantically. He was their daughter's soon to be ex teacher, he was older, and she was still young. It wouldn't matter to them if the law considered her an adult now. He knew that they would have some questions for him, and would want some explanations. He honestly didn't know how to explain it to them. He didn't know where he would begin, or how much to reveal to them without them getting angry and calling the cops on him. He had slept with their daughter while she was still underage. But, he wouldn't tell them that. He didn't want them to think that he was taking advantage of their daughter, to think that he was corrupting her, or trying to seduce her. He couldn't imagine them taking the news that he loved Aria very well. He didn't want to cause problems. He didn't want to cause a rift between her and her family. He didn't know what he would do if they forbid Aria to see him. He didn't want to sneak around with her. He wanted them to be open and out in public.

He found Aria's house easily as he pulled up into her driveway, honking the horn, before he got out and walked up to her front door as she came out. He stopped in his tracks, his mouth falling slightly open as he gawked at her. His blue eyes were very heated and craving. Thirsty. She was so beautiful. He could look at her always. A sexy smirk formed on her lips at his reaction. She did a full body turn, giving him more to look at, before she turned back around to face him, a seductive smile still upon her soft lips as her big brown eyes laughed silently. She was dressed simply, but comfortably. She could turn a thousand heads. That was how beautiful she really was. Her long dark silky hair was pulled into a ponytail at the back of her head, going to the side as it fell down in prefect ringlets', and a sweeping bang fell over her eyes. Big sterling hoops filled her ears, matching the silver bracelets' around her wrists. Canary shimmer lip gloss covered her silken lips. He wanted to lick them. To taste them. She wore a floral paisley print halter top with a black see through cut of jacket, a pair of shiny black rippled spandex tights that outlined all of her curves, and a pair of silver Carrisma Dereon heels encased her feet so that she came to his shoulders.

"Are you done staring at me," Aria teased as she tugged on her bottom lip with her teeth, her eyes on him.

He pulled his eyes away.

"I'm sorry," Ezra said hoarsely as he led her towards his car. "Are your parents' home?"

"Don't be. I'm not," Aria said sexily, laughing gravelly as she got into his car as he held the door open for her, before he went around to the driver side to get in. "And no. They are out of town. They went to one of Byron's conventions'".

"Oh, okay," Ezra said nonchalantly as he tried to hide the fact that he was relieved as he backed out of the driveway, and then he headed in the direction of the highway.

Time had gone up. It got darker much earlier now as they left out of Rosewood. He couldn't help peeping at her out of the corner of his eye, seeing as she counted the many tall trees they drove passed, her mouth moving ever so wordlessly, before she spoke to him. Her voice had never sounded so soft. Beautiful. Melodic. No wonder she was such a great singer. He still remembered the way she sounded even now. What he wouldn't give to have her sing for him. Just for him. Only him.

"Wow, you almost sound relieved about it," Aria laughed teasingly as she looked over at him, her bottom lip trapped in between her teeth again. "Were you nervous?"

"Very," Ezra said as he laughed at his own self as he glanced over to meet her eyes, before looking back at the road. "I didn't know what to say to them. I couldn't think up a single explanation of why I was taking their sixteen year old daughter out on a date".

"Because you like me, and I like you," Aria said as though that explained everything. "Because you have feelings for me, and I have feelings for you".

"Yeah, I know that, but Aria, they won't understand that," Ezra said on the contrary as he met her eyes again.

"Don't be nervous, I have very understanding parents," Aria assured him, her eyes still taking in every wonderful detail of his face. He was so beautiful to her. "Yeah they'll have some concerns about it in the beginning, but they'll come around. You shouldn't worry. I think I know my parents better than you do. So, where are you taking me?"

They headed further and further out of town. They even bypassed two other towns, Riverdale, and Camden. And then they passed through two other towns, Glennwitch and Cottonville county.

"This great place I know of," Ezra said mysteriously, before he flashed a smile her way as he drove them into Statesville.

He hadn't been there since his college days. This place brought back some great memories with just him in them. He never told a soul about this place. Not even Reed. It had been his secret. He wasn't even sure if this place even showed up on the map. It was just a quiet town. It didn't get a lot of traffic except for the few town locals and passing travelers here and there. He wanted to share a part of himself that he hadn't even shared with Jamiee.

"What's in Statesville?" Aria asked intriguingly with a little tactlessness to her voice, her eyes looking around the quiet busy town as he kept driving through to his destination. "I'm not even sure if I ever heard of this place".

He chuckled, knowing that she didn't mean to sound rude. She was just naturally curious.

"This Chinese place called The Lucky Charm. They serve the best Chinese food I've ever tasted," Ezra said, speaking of the place highly as he glanced over at her again.

"Really," Aria said unconvinced as she smiled at him in doubt. "Better than the Dragon Buffet in Rosewood?"

She thought of their local Chinese restaurant.

"Better," Ezra said, still sticking to his opinion as he pulled into the half empty parking lot.

"Hmm," Aria still had her doubts as she tugged on her bottom lip harder as she eyed the restaurant suspiciously.

She was too cute. He knew that Rosewood's Chinese restaurant was very popular.

"Just give it a chance. If you don't like it, then we'll go somewhere else," Ezra promised as he cut off the car engine and got out of the car.

Aria followed his lead, not waiting for him to come around and open her door. He admired her independence. There was a list of other things he loved about her. They walked up to the Chinese joint together side by side. Closely. Almost touching. Having her by his side felt so right. It felt good. He wanted to hold her hand, but he didn't think she would like it. She might think it was too fast. He didn't want her to feel uncomfortable. It had to be on her terms. He didn't want to complicate things. This was supposed to be a fun outing. A date without strings right now. He looked behind them. The roller skating rink across the street was jam packed. He opened the door to the restaurant and stepped back so that Aria could go ahead of him, receiving a warm smile from her as they came to a stop at the waiting podium. An Asian woman with short straight black hair down to her shoulders approached them with a very friendly smile.

"Hello, and welcome to The Lucky Charm. How many in your party?" She asked in her choppy English.

Ezra had to strain his ears to make out what she said. From looking over at Aria's face, he knew that she had a hard time understanding the woman as well.

"Just the two of us tonight," Ezra told the woman as he watched as she grabbed two menus for him and Aria.

"Which would you like, a table, or a booth?" The woman said once again in her broken English.

Ezra looked to Aria, saying that it was her call.

"We'll take a booth please," Aria told the woman kindly.

"Okay, right this way," The woman said with a smile as she turned and led them back to their booth, stopping to speak to a young Chinese man in their language as he cleared away a table.

As they followed the short Asian woman to their booth, Ezra looked around the restaurant, noticing the place was still the same except for a few alterations'. The restaurant was mostly made up in red and gold. Chinese lanterns hung from the ceiling, beautiful Chinese fans and paintings decorated the walls, hand crafted masks were on display for sell, and a gigantic Buddha water fountain set in the middle of the restaurant. He got a closer look at the fountain as they passed it, seeing silver and gold coins down at the bottom of the fountain. It was a wishing well. The woman finally stopped at their booth, and him and Aria both scooted in comfortably, before she handed them their menu. She then signaled with her hands to the same young Chinese man she had just spoken to moments before as he came strolling over to their table. Ezra could only assume that he would be their waiter.

"This is Liang, and he'll be your server," She said just before leaving to head back to the waiting podium to see to another couple that had just come in.

"What can I get you to drink?" Liang asked Aria in perfectly good English, before turning to ask Ezra.

"I'll have a Lemonade," Aria said as she put down her little clutch purse on the table.

He scribbled it down in Chinese onto his notepad.

"And I'll have a Pepsi soda," Ezra said as he flipped through his menu, trying to see what he wanted to order.

Liang jotted that down.

"And what can I get you two to eat?" Liang asked them, positioning his pencil to write again.

Ezra looked to Aria, who was busily flipping through her own menu, before she looked over at him, still chewing on that beautiful lip of hers.

"What kind of Chinese food do you like? You can order whatever you want," Ezra told her explicitly as he stared into her eyes. "After all, I'm treating you tonight. I don't care what you get or how much you get".

An enticing smile stretched her lips, making her even more beautiful, before her eyes flickered back down at the menu in her hands. Ezra watched her with adoration in his blue eyes. She was like a kid in a candy shop being told that she could have everything in the store.

"I love fried rice, French fries and fried chicken wings, spring rolls, steamed vegetables with noodles, and cheese wontons, Aria said with a big smile, biting down on her bottom lip shyly.

"Then get it," Ezra instructed her, his own smile shaping his mouth. "I told you that I don't care what you get. I'm buying, Aria. I don't even care if you order off the whole menu".

"You sure?" Aria asked with uncertainty, her big gorgeous eyes holding his in a trance.

"Yeah," Ezra said nodding, before leaning back in his chair as he watched as she gave the waiter her order.

"And I'll just share with you. I'm not going to eat all of that food," Aria said laughing as she handed her menu over to the waiter. "What type of Chinese food do you like?"

"I like egg rolls, Steamed dumplings and fried dumplings, General Tso's Chicken, pepper chicken and Lo Mein, fried bread, and Bar-B-Q Ribs," Ezra told her without looking away from her to look over at the waiter, who wrote everything down, before leaving to put in their order. "And I can share with you too. I promise you'll love everything that I just picked out".

"I'm sure I will," Aria said, before sipping on her Lemonade that the waiter Liang had brought to her. "Why did you bring me here? There has to be some reason. How did you even know that I love Chinese food? I'm sure I never mentioned it".

Ezra stopped sipping his own drink long enough to answer all of her questions.

"I use to come here a lot back when I was still in college. I never told anyone else about this place. I would always come by myself," Ezra said with a small laugh, running a hand through his hair, reminiscing. "I don't know. I just wanted to share a part of myself with you. And I didn't. I just took a chance in hoping that you would like Chinese food".

"I'm glad that you brought me here," Aria said softly as she held his eyes intensely, biting on her bottom lip as she watched as he ran another hand through his hair. She seemed to be holding her breath as his eyes got intensifier, before he looked away from her, clearing his throat. "Ezra, can I ask you a serious question? And please don't get offended".

"Sure," Ezra said as he stared back into her face, and then he took another swallow of his Pepsi. "I'm all ears so to speak".

She laughed softly at his sense of humor, before asking her question. He grinned the sexiest smile she had ever seen. She took in a deep breath as she squeezed her thighs together tightly, trying to keep the pulsating sensation between her legs to a minimum as she stared into his eyes, then at his mouth, and then she looked back into his eyes.

"This just an observation, but I kind of noticed that Reed is your only friend. Do you have any other friends? I'm not trying to pry or anything, but I want to know more about you?" Aria said harmlessly, before she tugged her bottom lip in between her teeth again, sucking on the soft flesh gently.

"I have other friends, but Reed is what I consider a true friend," Ezra said placidly as he toyed with his fingers. "I didn't have that many friends growing up. I was a little bit of a loner, but all that seem to change once I got into college and met Reed. We hit it off almost instantly. We became really close. He's like a brother to me. We went through a lot together. He was there for me, and I was there for him when he needed it. There is nothing that I wouldn't do for him, and I know that it's the same way on his end too".

"You and Reed remind me of how me, Spencer, Hanna, and Emily are," Aria said quietly, sweetly as she reached across the table to place her hand on top of his, stroking his fingers with the softest of touches. He groaned softly, stroking her fingers back, before linking their fingers together as she gasped lightly. She didn't pull away. She couldn't. "We're so close. We're like sisters. I love them so much. We have been there for one another".

"I've seen how close you guys are," Ezra said, and before he could say anything else, he was interrupted by their food arriving.

The waiter Liang with the help of two others placed all the food dishes down in front of Aria and Ezra, before taking off. He soon returned back with their silverware.

"Wow, this is really a lot of food," Aria said giggling as her sparkling brown eyes glazed over all of the delicious food piled in front of her, not knowing which to eat first. "Can I get some chopsticks?"

"Yes, of course," Liang said, before he disappeared briefly, and then he came back with Aria's chopsticks. "Can I get something else for you?"

"No, that will be off," Ezra said as he dismissed him.

Liang ventured down to another table to service them.

"Can you really eat with those?" Ezra asked Aria, indicating to the two chopsticks poised in her hand, before biting off a piece of fried bread.

"Sure," Aria said confidently as she demonstrated to him by picking up some noodles with the chopsticks, and then she brought it over to her mouth. "See, I have skills. Can you eat with chopsticks?"

"No, I'm horrible at it," Ezra said truthfully, before he spooned some fried rice into his mouth, and then he laughed at the horrified look on Aria's beautiful face.

"You can't be serious. Have you ever tried?" Aria asked him incredulously as she looked up into his face, before picking up a chicken wing, and then she bit into it, before taking hold of a spring roll.

"I've tried, but I'm still terrible at it," Ezra laughed at his own misfortune, before smiling attractively at her, and then he picked up his drink to take a sip from it.

He couldn't help noticing the grease that came from the chicken clinging to her lips. He wanted to lick it off. He shook his head, watching as she plucked up a French fry, and then she stuffed it into her mouth.

"Let me show you how it's done," Aria said as she put down her chopsticks, then she picked up her napkin to wipe her mouth, and then she reached for his hand. She took his hand in wrapped it around her chopsticks, then she used it to pick up a steamed dumpling, and then she carried the dumpling up to her full mouth, and then her lips wrapped around the tips of the chopsticks as she munched on the doughy dumpling. "See, it's easy. All you need is a little bit more practice".

She smiled sexily at him, knowingly. Ezra couldn't answer her because he was so busy watching her mouth. He put down the chopsticks shakily, before picking up his fork again.

"I think I better stick to my fork," Ezra said thickly, feeling Aria's eyes on him as he ate some pepper chicken, then he looked back up into her face to see that she was still watching him, before he pulled his eyes away to reach for an egg roll.

Aria cleared her throat, before tearing her eyes away from him.

"Are you really serious about leaving Rosewood high school to teach at Hollis?" Aria asked hoarsely as she picked up a fried dumpling with her chopsticks, and then she put it into her mouth. "Are you really sure that's what you want? I don't want you doing it just because of me. I don't want you regretting your decision".

"I'm more than just serious about it, Aria. I'm going to tell the Dean of admissions of my decision first thing tomorrow morning," Ezra said as he ate some of Aria's steamed vegetables with noodles. "And I'm not just doing it because of you. If you can believe it or not, Rosewood high school wasn't my first choice. Hollis was, but there wasn't an opening in the English department, so I settled for teaching English at Rosewood high school. A decision that I don't regret".

"I'm glad that teaching at Rosewood high school was your second choice. I wouldn't have met you," Aria said daringly as she peeped over at him underneath her dark long eyelashes. He sat up from reclining back in his seat, needing to get closer to her as he leaned forward. Her eyelashes were so thick and long. They framed her already beautiful eyes. He could literally count every single lash. "Why did you leave New York City and come to Rosewood? New York is a pretty big place. I'm sure there were a lot of opportunities for you there," Aria said as her hand bumped against his innocently as she grabbed for one of his egg rolls.

"I've been living in a big city all my life and I just needed a change," Ezra said rather honestly, before stealing one of her fried chicken wings. She gave him an evil look, before guarding her remaining chicken wings close to her. He laughed deep in his throat. A sound that had her giving him a very heated look. It was smoldering hot. Filled with her wanting to do some unspeakable things to him. "And, Hollis has a great English program. Are you going to leave here after college?"

He found that he didn't want her to leave. He wanted her to stay in Rosewood. He prayed for her to say that she was in fact remaining in Rosewood. It was like he needed her to stay. He knew that he sounded selfish. He just didn't care.

"I don't think I will," Aria said as she offered him a simpering smile, sounding absolutely sure of herself as she drank some more of her lemonade. "I mean everyone I know and love is in Rosewood. My family, and my friends. I don't want or need to be any place else".

"Was going to Hollis always your first choice?" Ezra asked as he used his knife to cut up a piece of rib.

Aria watched his mannerism for a few moments, before going back to smothering ketchup all over her French fires, and then she decided to answer his question.

"Byron and Ella both went to college at Hollis. They met and fell in love there," Aria told him as she ate some more of her fries, before pushing the plate away. "So, it's like a family tradition. I can't see myself going anywhere different".

"I can kind of see why you would want to go there," Ezra said as he took a French fry off her discarded plate. She smiled at him, before playfully smacking his hand, and then she shoved the plate of fries over towards him. "What did your mother study at Hollis? I remember you saying she owns an art gallery downtown".

"She majored in cultural art," Aria said as she picked up a steamed dumpling using her chopsticks, then she doused it into the garlic hot sauce that had come with it, and then she plunged it into her open mouth. Her pink tongue came out to lick the corner of her mouth, licking up the remnants of sauce. "What does your friend Reed do? I bet he can tell me a lot of embarrassing stories about you. I bet he even has pictures".

Her eyes glistened with glee.

"He's a history teacher at Riverdale high school," Ezra said as he grabbed for another one of her fries she had given him and popped it into his mouth. "And believe me, he'll have no problem telling you every embarrassing thing about me and he probably does have some humiliating pictures with me in them".

"Will he like me?" Aria asked softly, seriously as her lovely brown eyes bored into his as they met his across the table, making him feel everything. Making him want everything.

She truly was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Aria didn't know just how much of a beautiful creature she really was. She really didn't have to work at it. It was just in her DNA.

"Of course. Reed knows how I feel about you," Ezra assured her, reaching his hand out to play with a beautiful silky strand of her hair, loving the way it coiled around his finger.

"What about your family? Will they also like me?" Aria asked throatily, her eyes still connected with his as her fingers absently fiddled with the tall white straw in her glass.

"Yes, Aria," Ezra assured her once more, before tugging gently on the softness of her hair.

It felt amazing to the touch. Just touching her made his heart skip a beat.

"That's all I needed to know," Aria said with a satisfying smile as she took hold of his large hand, bending her head to kiss the back of his fingers. He couldn't keep himself from shivering as his eyes darkened. She then turned his hand over to plant another kiss on the inside of his palm, before releasing his hand altogether.

He shivered again, feeling his insides screaming for more. He wanted more. More of what she had to offer. He cleared his throat, watching as she watched him secretively, knowing that she had picked up on his reaction to her. How could she not?

"You ready to get out of here?" Ezra asked in a thick voice as he signaled for the waiter to come over with the check.

"Sure, I'm not going to eat anymore" Aria said breathlessly as she put down her chopsticks, and then she reached for her clutch purse.

"Okay," Ezra said, nodding his head as he fished a couple of bills out of his wallet, then he slapped it down onto the table, and then he got up from the booth, feeling stuffed.

He let Aria proceed in front of him as he placed a light hand on the small of her back, and then he steered them both out of the restaurant and back out into the parking lot.

"Where do you want to go now?" Ezra asked her once they got back inside his car. "There's a bowling alley up the street, a roller skating spot across the street and I know of a baseball hitting range, and there's a theater downtown that plays a lot of old movies all night, or if you want, I could just head back to Rosewood."

He turned in his seat to observe her face, nearly losing control as she bit on her bottom lip, taking in her many options. He had never asked her where she had picked up that habit. She always did it so unconsciously. He wasn't even sure she was aware that she did it half of the time. He so wanted to capture that lower lip of hers. To rub the pad of his thumb across the soft surface.

"I want to go roller skating. I haven't been in a long time," Aria said invitingly as her eye stared at the lively place across the street.

"The roller skating place it is," Ezra said as he turned back around in his seat, then he started the engine up, and then he maneuvered his car across the street.

He found a parking spot, then he and Aria got out of the car with her reaching for his hand, relishing the feel of her hand in his, and then they walked into the music pumping place. They then walked up to the counter as Aria gave the acne face employee her shoe size, and then he looked over to Ezra. Ezra reluctantly gave the man his shoe size, debating on whether or not he should tell Aria that he couldn't skate. He led Aria over to a round Ottoman, but not before paying and grabbing their skates in one of his hands. They sat down and took off their shoes, then they put on their roller skates, and then they both got up. Ezra wobbled unsteadily on his feet, but Aria caught his arm to balance him, before she looked up at him, her warm hand still on his arm.

"Do you even know how to roller skate?" Aria laughed musically, before slowly leading him over to the skating floor.

He was grateful for her assistance. He felt foolish enough not being able to skate.

"Not at all," Ezra smiled bashfully over at her.

"Then why did you agree to come here?" Aria asked as they made it onto the floor without him falling.

"Because you wanted to," Ezra said simply as though that explained everything.

There was nothing he wouldn't do for her. He loved her. He never experienced this kind of love before. She nodded numbly, before saying,

"Then I'll have to teach you how it's done," Aria said as she put his arm around her waist, and then she put her arm around his. "I promise not to let you fall. Just hold onto me tight and follow my lead".

Aria took it slow. Very slow, allowing him time to grasp the hang of it, then she moved in front of him as she skated backwards as she pulled him along, moving up the pace as he stumbled like an idiot for a good while, and then he became a little better at skating. She smiled encouragingly at him as she pulled on both of his hands as she skated around the whole rink with him, loving that he was getting better and better with her help. He never once let go of her. He trusted her completely. Her melting smiles were giving him courage. Making him come alive for the first time in his life. He felt the crazy spinning in the pit of his stomach, the beat of the music flowing through every potion of his body, and the feel of contentment washing over him. He wanted to do well. He wanted to impress her. To keep her smiling and happy. To keep her laughing widely and uncontrollably. He had never seen her look so happy with him. So free and sure of herself. Of him. Of them. Of the possibility that they could be more. They that could actually be good together. That he could truly make her happy. That they could have a wonderful life together if she wanted it. If she wanted him. He would give her anything that she wanted. She already had his heart.

She moved closer to him as Ed Sheeran, Kiss Me pumped out of the many speakers surrounding them, her body pushing up against his as she whispered to him to put his arms around her, and then she let her own arms enfold around him. She wanted him to take the lead. To lead the both of them. His eyes consumed hers. They were extremely close. He could feel every part of her. Could feel her breath on his lips as his arms squeezed her tighter towards him. It was like the song was meant for them. He couldn't let her go. He wouldn't let her go. Her fingers raked down his back so seductively as she pulled him tighter to her. It felt good. Having her hands on him felt good. They felt so good together. So right. He couldn't be any more in love with her than he already was. He forgot about everyone around them. He couldn't stop looking down into her eyes. Down at her luscious full lips as she bit them. He didn't think. He just acted. He just went with pure instinct. He bent his head and captured her lips with his, hearing as she sighed and moaned into his mouth, her mouth moving along with his as she pushed her body even closer to his.

He groaned and deepened the kiss, almost lifting her off the floor. It was raw. Passionate. Full of heat. He couldn't get enough of her. Of her taste. Of her smell, and of the little sounds that she made before she bit his lip, her teeth scraping his lower lip as her mouth moved against his. He wanted more. He needed more. But, before he could act on it, he pulled back from her slightly, struggling to find his breath as hers came out in gasps, and then she crushed her mouth against his again, one of her hands moving up to hold onto the back of his neck as he drew back again when their kiss became even more hungrier. He couldn't handle it. His body hummed with so much need. He was afraid that he would take her right there in front of everyone.

Aria looked up into his eyes dazedly, breathing really hard as her fingers found their way into his hair. She stretched her neck to lick his lips, before licking her own and pulling back without taking her arms from around him. He closed his eyes briefly, fighting the inner battle within him before he re-opened them, knowing that she felt that very excited part of him. Her whole body was trembling. His own body was shaking.

"Take me back to a motel. I want to make love," Aria breathed against his lips silkily, her fingers grazing through his short hair as they massaged his scalp. "I saw a motel coming into town. It was called The Twin Pines".

He hesitated, so badly wanting to, but he couldn't. She meant way more to him than some simple fuck. He needed it to mean more. And not in some unknown seedy motel. He respected her way too much.

"No, Aria," Ezra said her name thickly, roughly as he shook his head.

"Why not?" Aria asked so softly, her eyes staring down at his mouth, before her dark brown eyes fluttered back up to his. She was so aroused. "Was stopping us? I've never wanted you so badly".

Her big brown eyes were once again trained on his hard mouth.

"Because, when we make love again, it's going to be for all the right reasons and the right time," Ezra explained to her gently as he fought the urge not to kiss her again. "Not because we are both feeling lust, or feeling angry, or needing consoling. I want it to be much deeper than that. Can you understand that?"

Aria blinked her eyes and stepped back from him, then she just walked off, taking off her skates and turned them in, and then she stormed out. He made it off the skating floor without falling on his ass, then he hastily took off his skates and turned them back in up at the front, and then he ran out of the roller skating rink after Aria.

"Are you mad at me?" Ezra asked a very quiet Aria as he drove them back to Rosewood. She hadn't said a word to him. She wouldn't even look at him. He took one hand off the steering wheel to run down his face, before placing it back on the wheel. "I don't want you to think that I was rejecting you, because I wasn't. I don't want us to keep making the wrong mistakes".

"No," Aria said suddenly, quietly, still not looking over at him. "I'm kind of glad that you stopped. I don't want us to keep making the wrong choices either. I don't want to keep confusing my feelings. And I know that you weren't rejecting me".

They didn't say anything more the rest of the trip back. Ezra kept shooting her sideways looks, seeing that she was lost in her thoughts and that he couldn't reach her. He pulled up into her driveway, killing the motor, and he was about to get out, but she placed a hand on his thigh to stop him.

"I can get it," Aria said as she removed her hand to unbuckle her seatbelt, and then she turned around in her seat to face him, expelling a rugged breath, before she spoke again. "I'm really not angry with you, Ezra. Don't fear that you'll anger me by voicing sound judgment. You said nothing wrong. I want you to know every part of me. To understand me. Even in this mood. I'm just thinking is all. About everything. I know that I want to go out with you again tomorrow night, but this time I want to cook for you at your apartment. And I really did have a great time tonight with you. You shared so much with me".

She was turning around and reaching for the door handle, before he stopped her by grabbing onto her hand, pulling her back over to him as his eager lips fell against hers gently, and then he quickly released her, sniffing the scent of her hair as a whiff of it teased his nose. She smiled pleasantly, and then she got out of the car. He watched until she got into the house safely, and then he drove off, his thoughts all of Aria.

**Sorry that I took a while to update, but I became lazy lol. It will not happen again. I'm writing feverishly for Ch. 28. What did you guys think of this chapter? I loved it. Review! Always review. I want to know you guys' thoughts. Anyway, I'm going to head to bed, and then I'm going to start my B-Day off right.**


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

**Aria POV**

Aria scrambled around in her room for something to wear as she got ready to head out for Hollis. She didn't have any of her art classes. She just had to grade a lot of papers for Byron, because he had gone out of town that morning. She hoped that he had left behind his grading scale so that she could easily find it. She couldn't grade without it. She knew that she would be there for most of the day. She found herself reaching for a simple shirt, a pair of skinny jeans, and a pair of sufficient flats. She then added on a small amount of jewelry, which involved sterling silver heart shaped ear studs, the matching necklace that nestled between her ample breasts, and a loose fitting bracelet wrapped around her delicate wrist, before she moved over to her full length mirror as she got a good look at herself, toying with her hair. Not knowing whether or not to wear it up or down. She pouted sinfully at her reflection, running her dainty fingers through the fine softness. It was a hard choice.

She bit on her lip as she tried out different hair looks, the dark orange fingernail polish contrasting well with her long dark silky hair, and her beautiful pale skin. She wondered which style Ezra would prefer. Would he like it better down, or would he like it better up? She asked herself subjectively as her pearly white teeth sunk deeper into her bottom lip, before she released it. She tried out some more hairstyles, not liking any of them. She huffed, dragging her bottom lip in between her teeth as she chewed on it thoughtfully. She knew that Ezra loved her hair, but she didn't know how he loved it. She had just taken noticed of how he touched it, or sniffed the scent of hair. She didn't think her hair was such a big deal. Yeah, it was dark, long and silky, and naturally beautiful. But what did he see that she didn't? What intrigued him most about it? Was it the color? The softness? Or was it the essence of it? She didn't know. She was sure she wasn't the only woman he had been with captivating hair. If she remembered correctly Jamie had lovely hair. It had been long and straight. What was so special about her hair? Why did it always draw Ezra's eyes? Made him think it was the most beautiful thing in the entire world? She decided to brush it, then she fixed herself a bang in the front that hide her freshly arch brows, and then she held the back of hair back with a black butterfly hairclip, before going over to her vanity table to apply light make up, making the black eyeliner around her eyes appear darker to give her a more edgier look.

Aria couldn't stop thinking about her date with Ezra last night. She had enjoyed it immensely. She had never felt more alive with someone than she had last night. Ezra seemed to bring out a lighter side to her. To make her feel so many emotions all at once. Love, a sense of belonging and lust, fire as well as heat, sure of herself, and what she wanted with him. It had been such a rush. A tingling urge flowing throughout the veins of her body. Sparking every sensitive nerve inside of her. She had never felt freer. Uncomplicated. Unafraid. Unspeakably happy for the first time since Adam's death. She realized that he had always brought out these feelings in her. She just hadn't known until now. She didn't want to see until now. He made her happy. He considered her feelings. He made her want to experience a life with him. She knew that she would be happy with him. That they could have a wonderful life together. She knew that he would keep her safe. That he would put her needs before his. That he was a good man. He wasn't perfect, but he had flaws just like she did.

She felt that he would do anything for her. All she had to do was ask him. And she knew that she could always make him happy. That all she had to do was give him her heart. She never had more fun eating mountains of Chinese food and teaching someone how to roller skate. She couldn't believe that she had waited so long to call him Ezra. It felt so good to say it. The dynamics of their teacher and student relationship had changed so much. He wasn't going to be at Rosewood high school next school year. He wasn't going to be her teacher. It was going to be weird and getting some use to, but she was happy about it. They wouldn't have to hide their involvement. He was going to be at Hollis. The age of consent had changed. She was legally an adult. She hadn't known that he would be at Hollis for the summer. Who knew that fate could work in such a mysterious way? It was like it was meant to happen. Like they were meant to find each other at this moment in time when they were both ready. Willing. She couldn't believe that she hadn't run into him until yesterday. She couldn't believe that Byron hadn't said anything. She knew that she had changed. That she had grown. That she had gotten more mature.

Having time apart from Ezra and having a lot of time to think made her see that she was in love with him. She couldn't even believe it herself, but she wasn't going to deny that she wasn't. It would be a lie. She would be lying to herself. She didn't want to lie to herself. She couldn't do that. Not to herself, or to Ezra. It would be wrong. She couldn't deny how she felt. She couldn't deny having another chance at being happy. At loving someone else. At having a life. She had always known that she had an attraction to him, and that she felt something for him, but now it had a name. It was love. It was so much clearer now. She saw it. Saw how she felt about him. How she saw him, and it felt great. She had always known deep down inside that she had loved him too and not just Adam. She had loved him first, but she had been so angry and hurt by what he had done to realize it. When had she fallen in love with him? When had it stop being a game to her? She answered her own questions. It had been the day she had found out he had left. She hadn't been able to place her feelings. Hadn't been able to understand them, but she had felt such devastation. If she hadn't been in love, then why had she felt that?

She wanted to tell him, but she didn't know if he felt the same way. She didn't know if he would believe her. She didn't know how to convince him. She didn't know what he would think, or what he would say. She feared his rejection. She needed him to know that all those times when she had told him that she loved Adam, that she had loved him too, but she just wasn't able to express it then. She had let her angry and hurt cloud her true feelings. She wanted to tell him that she wasn't able to breathe or think when he was in the same room as her. That every time he touched her, her body was set aflame. She couldn't run from it. Couldn't hide from it. She didn't want to. For once she wanted to act rationally on her feelings for him. To show him her love. She decided that when the right moment came along, that she would tell him that she was in love with him.

She pulled herself from her thoughts, swooping down to cradle Diana in her arms, and then she headed down the stairs to get her and Diana some breakfast. She delivered kisses to Diana's little nose, before putting her down on the kitchen floor. She was getting really big and heavy. She couldn't believe how fast Diana was growing with each passing day. She had her first vet appointment tomorrow afternoon. She continued gazing at her beautiful black feline, before Diana brushed up against her legs and meowed impatiently. She smiled down affectionately, knowing what her little Diana wanted. She crouched down to take a can of cat food from the bottom cabinet, then she used the can opener to open it up and dumped it out into Diana's little kitty dinner bowl, before she tossed it into the trash can, and then she headed over to the refrigerator to grab a bottle of water, pouring it out into the extra bowl beside Diana's feeding one.

Aria then went to go get her own breakfast, grabbing two Pop-tarts and put them into the toaster, then she reached up into the top cupboard to take down a plate and glass, then she went back over to the refrigerator to take out the pitcher of orange juice, and then she propped herself down onto the counter barstool, before crossing her legs and waited for her Pop-tarts to pop up as she poured herself a glass of juice. She thought about being married to Ezra. About what type of house they would live in and about how their lives will be. About their children together and how they would look. She knew they would be so beautiful. Copies of her and Ezra. She shook her head ridiculously. It was silly really. It was just wistful thinking on her part. She and Ezra had just gone out for the first time together last night. She shouldn't even be thinking about that. She didn't know what was wrong with her. They weren't even a couple yet. She didn't know what they were to each other. She knew what she wanted them to be, but she was unsure of what Ezra wanted. For all she knew he might just want to be in a relationship with her. He might not want to marry her. To live with her. To make a life with her, or to have kids with her. She bit on her lower lip, hating those thoughts. She wanted to give him his own family. They had been through a lot. So many things had kept them apart. She wanted so badly to be married and to have a family. To have a partner and husband who would challenge her. She knew that Ezra would give her that. She found that she didn't want those things if it couldn't be Ezra. He was who she wanted. Forever and Always. She got up to go get her Pop-tarts from out of the toaster, eating them quickly, before washing them down with some orange juice, and then she left out the house, but not before grabbing her big handbag from off the hallway table.

Aria used Byron's key to his office to get inside. She walked into the room, and then she closed the door behind her, spotting the many papers she had to grade piled high on Byron's desk. She sat her handbag down on the Traditional Button Tufted Burgundy sofa, then she looked inside his desk drawer to pull out his grading scale, and then she made herself comfortable behind his desk, reaching for the first paper to grade. Two hours in, she took a break from grading to head down to the professors' lounge to get a big of chips, candy bar, and a can soda from the vending machines, before walking back to Byron's office to finish marking the few remaining papers she had to do. Which in her case was still quite a lot. She had never been so bored in all her life, using her hand to stifle the third yawn that had spilt from her silken lips. She crossed and uncrossed her legs many times, moving restlessly around in her chair as she tried to keep herself from feeling boredom and to keep herself from fallen asleep. She even tried by getting up and going back down to the lounge for a cup of coffee, but that still didn't do the trick. She then rummaged through Byron's desk, never feeling so happy when she located a pack of Doublemint gum. She stuffed two sticks into her mouth, chewing graciously as she picked up her pen again.

She had stifled her fifth yawn, when she had finished grading the last paper in the huge stack on Byron's desk. She got up from behind the large oak desk, putting everything back into their rightful place, then she threw her trash away in the little garbage bin beside Byron's desk, and then she went over to the sofa to grab her handbag, turning around as the door to the office opened unsuspected. Her brown eyes clashed with black ones. She knew those eyes. They were beautiful and unusual. It was Channing. Her old boyfriend and Byron's assistant before her. He still was good looking and athletic looking, his glossy black hair undisturbed; before he ran a hand through it, ruffling it up a bit. She looked him over as he did the same, feeling a warm smile stretching her lips. She hadn't known that he was back. Byron hadn't mentioned it. It was so good to see him. She had wanted to spend some time with him before she had found out from Byron that he wouldn't be at Hollis for the summer. She had wanted to connect with an old friend. He had always been funny, laid back, and a very decent guy. She felt old memories of them together re-entering her mind, before she shook them away. It had been so long ago. Although their relationship had been great, she didn't want him in that way again. She didn't have any romantic feelings for him. The only emotion she felt towards him was a friendly one. She was in love with Ezra. She had never had strong feelings for him like she had felt with Adam and did with Ezra.

"What are you doing back?" Aria asked as she went over to hug him, feeling as his arms wrapped around her waist automatically. "Byron didn't mention to me that you were back already".

"I got done with my internship much sooner than I thought. And Byron didn't know," Channing said with a sheepish grin as he hugged her back, before stepping back to get another look at her. "You still look beautiful as always".

"Thanks," Aria said with a smile as she bit her bottom lip, letting her eyes roam over his face. He looked much older. More tired. "Why are you here? Did Byron leave a message for you to do something? I already graded those stack of papers over there on the desk.

"Yeah, he wanted me to work on constructing a syllabus for two of his classes, mail off some important letters and re-arrange his calendar, and punch all the grades into the computer," Channing told her as his obsidian eyes found hers again. He looked in deep thought for a moment, not knowing if he should bring up the next subject. "So, I heard what happen to Adam. I'm sorry. I didn't know him, but how are you holding up?"

She shook her head as she smiled up at him sadly as she tried to work pass the large lump in her throat as she tried to form words together.

"Even after two months it's still fresh in my mind," Aria admitted, blowing out a hard breath as she hugged herself, rubbing her hands up and down her shoulders. "I'm not going to lie, it's been hard, but I'm trying to get pass it with one step at a time. That's all I can do. I can't dwell on the fact that he's gone. If I do, then I'll never be able to move on. And I won't do that to myself. I have to keep living my life".

He nodded his head with understanding, before reaching out to squeeze her arm comfortingly. She smiled gratefully at his concern.

"Did they ever catch the guy that did it?" Channing asked softly, hating that she had been put through something like that.

"No," Aria said angrily through clenched teeth, wiping away the tears that had fallen without warning. This was the first time she had ever expressed being angry at the person responsible for Adam's death. "His still out there free to do it again to someone else. I'll truly be okay once they catch him".

The level of hate in her voice scared even her. She couldn't help it. She hated the guy that killed Adam so much. She would love it if he caught the same fate he had dealt out to Adam. She knew that it wasn't right wishing death on someone, but she didn't care. She never thought she could be capable of killing someone. That she could just take a human life, but she thought she could take the life of Adam's killer without feeling an ounce of remorse. But what would that solve? The voice in her head said. Nothing, Aria said inwardly.

"Well, if you need someone to vent to, I'm here," Channing said as he gave her a charming smile, giving her a quick hug, before he moved over to Byron's desk.

"I know," Aria said quietly, feeling the anger inside of herself dissipating as she gave him a small smile. Just talking to him made her feel somewhat okay. "I should get going. It was good to see you, Channing".

"You too," Channing smiled again as he walked over to open up the door for her, stepping aside to let her through. "We should go out sometime soon. We could go for drinks, talk. Whatever you want. I just want to help you get through this".

When she was about to protect, he held his hand up, silencing her.

"It wouldn't be a date, Aria. It would just be me helping out a friend, who I really care deeply about," Channing said with honesty, his glittering black eyes watching as her whole body relaxed as she thought about his offer. "You look like you could use another friend".

"Okay," Aria said once she saw that he wasn't trying to get back with her.

They hugged again, and then she left.

Aria drove to the Farmer's Market to get what she needed to cook for herself and Ezra, feeling the heat of the afternoon sun beat down on her as she got out of her car to head inside. Once inside, she took hold of a shopping cart to put her groceries in, then she pulled a piece of crumpled up paper from her handbag that listed the items she needed to get, before she walked over to the produce section. Her eyes skimmed the many number of fresh fruits and vegetables. She went about weighing and sniffing whatever she picked up to analyze. She threw the things she would need to make a salad with into her basket, reaching for a bag of white potatoes and onions as she left for the meat section. She already knew what type of meat she would serve as she put a pack of steaks into her cart, venturing down a little more to pick up turkey and ham lunchmeat to put into the salad, before heading down the spice aisle, stocking up on all the spices she would need to make her dinner, and then she headed towards the frozen food section, feeling happy with her choices so far. It was going to be her first time cooking steaks so she was very nervous, but she also felt confident in her skill at being a good cook. She basically sucked at making any type of dessert except for cookies, so she placed a peach cobbler, a tube of ice cream, and dinner rolls into her shopping basket, before going over to the dairy section. She briefly searched down her list to see what she didn't get, before locating those particular items on the shelves. She grabbed a carton of milk, a dozen of eggs and sticks of butter, and packs of shredded cheese, and then she treaded over to the drinks and wine aisle. She picked up cases of orange and Pepsi soda, before heading up to the front to the checkout counter. She paid, then she left out the grocery store and loaded her bags into the trunk, and then she got into her car and drove off towards Ezra's apartment.

She parked in Ezra's building parking garage, getting out to take her two brown shopping bags under her arms, then she held each case of soda in her hands, and then she made her trek up to Ezra's apartment. She used her foot to knock, waiting for Ezra to open up the door. She hummed underneath her breath as she shifted the bags in her arms around, trying with much success not to drop them. She was sure that he was already home from Hollis. She thought she had spied his car in the garage on her way up. And sure enough, the door opened up, displaying Ezra's glorious form. He smiled down at her, leaning towards her to kiss her lips softly, before taking the bags and cases of soda from her as he walked into the kitchen. She shut the door and followed him, appreciatively eyeing his muscular back and backside as she chewed on her bottom lip. She couldn't stop her eyes from roaming the rest of his form as he sat the bags on the countertops, and the two soda cases onto the floor. He was wearing a white shirt and gray sweatpants, and he was barefoot. She got started unpacking the bags with his help. She couldn't help bumping into his rock solid body, and he into her more softer one as they moved about the tiny kitchen. The space was very limited. It didn't feel unreal at all being there with him like this. She felt happy. He made her very happy. He made her forget about everything, including Adam's death.

"So, what are you whipping up for us?" Ezra asked her over his shoulder as he took down a shot glass from the top cabinet and poured himself a glass of scotch, before hoisting himself up onto the countertop to look at her as she unpacked the last bag.

"Steak and potatoes," Aria answered with a smile, turning to put the peach cobbler and tube of strawberry ice cream into the freezer until it came time for dessert.

"Sounds yummy," Ezra said with approval, before taking a sip of his scotch, grimacing before taking another one.

"I know," Aria laughed, giving herself some credit as she got out all the necessary pots and pans to cook with, before placing a large flying pan onto the stovetop. "How do you like your steak?"

"Medium rare," Ezra said as he tossed his drink back, and then he poured himself another glass, cradling the small glass in his hands as his eyes followed her around the kitchen as she moved around, collecting everything that she needed to get started.

"Me too," Aria smiled again, marinating the steaks with a combination of onions, green peppers and mushrooms, and a number of spices she had picked up at the store.

"What can I do?" Ezra asked eagerly, wanting to help out as he put down his shot glass.

"You can make the toss salad," Aria said as she walked up to him bewitchingly to stand in between his legs and kissed him fervidly, before reaching over to pick up his shot glass and took a sip of his scotch, coughing and grimacing as she placed the glass back down, and then she handed him what he would need. "I also brought eggs and turkey and ham lunchmeat to go inside the salad".

"As it so happens, I make a killer salad," Ezra grinned over at her as he jumped down from the counter and took a big knife from the kitchen drawer, and then he got to work on cutting up lettuces, tomatoes and onions, green peppers, and cucumbers.

"You're really good at that," Aria said admiringly as she watched as he masterfully sliced everything up so efficiently, before taking out four eggs and putting them into the pot of boiling water, and then she got started peeling the white potatoes.

"Thanks," Ezra smiled as he chopped up his last onion and tomato, looking over to examine Aria's progress as she cut up potatoes, and then she put them into a much bigger boiling pot of hot water. "And you're pretty good yourself with the way you are cutting up those white potatoes".

"I'm flattered, but no. You're obviously better at it than I am," Aria said smiling, biting on her bottom lip as she watched his hands, before she pulled her eyes away to get started on making the vinaigrette dressing for the toss salad. "Can you chop up some parsley please?"

"Sure," Ezra said as he reached across her to take out the parsley, and then he began to chop it up, his muscles straining in his arms. "Did you always like to cook?"

"Yeah. I grew a nix for it as I watched Ella and two of the greats like Paula Dean, and Tyler Florence," Aria said happily as she whisked all the ingredients together to make the vinaigrette into a medium sized bowl, then she covered the top with plastic wrap, and then she placed it into the refrigerator, and then she sliced up two sticks of butter, before moving around him to retrieve the salt and pepper. "Let's talk about you. Where did you learn how to chop like that?"

"I remember you telling that," Ezra recalled as he pulled down a bowl from the cupboard to threw his salad into, then he grabbed the pot of boiled eggs and shredded cheese, slice turkey and ham, and then he mixed all of it into the bowl, before topping it off with extra onions, tomatoes and cheese, and lunchmeat. "And one of my uncles' owned a restaurant. He used to take his son and me to work with him sometimes and he showed us the ropes, allowing us to help out in the kitchen. I loved it. You see my father has three older brothers. He was the youngest. All of my uncles are married. I have three aunts. How many uncles and aunts do you have?"

"Wow, you have a big family. What do your other two uncles do?" Aria asked as she drained the water with the white potatoes, then she mashed them up and added more salt and pepper, and butter, milk, before mixing it together on top the stove again. "And I have two of each".

"One is a banker, and the other one works on Wall Street as a stock broker," Ezra said as he watched her avidly as she stirred up the mashed potatoes before leaving them on low to cook, before frying up the steaks. "What else can I do?"

"You can set the table," Aria instructed him without taking her eyes off the sizzling frying pan in front of her. "And then could you put some can sodas into the refrigerator?"

He got down two plates and some silverware, before he walked over to set about fixing the table.

"Done," Ezra said as he came back into the kitchen, taking some sodas out of the cases to store into the refrigerator, then he got down two wine glasses from the top cupboard, and then he retrieved a bottle of Merlot from his liquor cabinet down below. "I brought this the other day at the store. I thought we could have it tonight. What else do you want me to do?"

"Tasty," Aria said as she smacked her lips, taking her eyes off the steaks as she turned them over to look over at him, and then she sprinkled the chopped parsley into the mashed potatoes. "I happen to like wine very much. Me and the girls would sneak into Spencer's parents liquor stash all the time. I can't believe we never got caught. And you can get the dinner rolls down from the freezer and put them into the oven, but don't forget to smear butter on the top first".

"You guys were very mischievous," Ezra laughed as he did what she ordered, and then he came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist as she leaned back into him as she used a fork to flip the steaks over again. "Everything smells really good. I can't wait to taste it".

"Thanks. And we were," Aria said proudly, laughing softly as she turned off the steaks, and then she turned around in his arms, reaching up to link her arms around his neck, before bringing her lips up to his. She still couldn't believe this was happening as her pulse quickened up, letting out a shuddering breath as she kissed him deeper. They were totally being domestic right now. He kissed her back, thrusting his tongue into her mouth as she moaned wonderfully at the sensation he was causing to erupt in the pit of her stomach. She pulled back, fighting for air as she stared amazing up into his gorgeous blue eyes. Everything about him excited her as she moved herself from out of his arms to cut the pot with the mashed potatoes off. She didn't want them to burn. She tucked her bottom lip in between her teeth as she nervously avoided his eyes and closeness. "I hope you don't mind, but I got a store brought peach cobbler for our dessert. I'm awful at making cakes and pies. I'm only good at making cookies".

He watched her closely, before moving over to her again as he took her in his arms, titling her chin up to look into her eyes, sensing a change in her behavior.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Ezra asked her softly as one of his hands held the base of her neck and his other one stayed around her slim waist. "You seem far away right now. Did I do anything wrong?"

"Nothing," Aria whispered as her eyes stared into his intensely, before fluttering close, and then she opened them back up again to continue staring into the depths of his remarkable blue eyes, biting on her bottom lip at the same time. "And you didn't do anything wrong. This just feels….right. Good. I can't help feeling happy when I'm with you. But, there's a little voice at the back of my head saying it's wrong. And then there's Adam. I don't want to feel guilty. It's like I'm betraying him somehow".

"Then don't be," Ezra said as his eyes penetrated hers as he stroked the back of her neck, his beautiful masculine mouth hovering closely to hers. "Be here with me. Enjoy this with me. This isn't wrong. Us right now, isn't wrong. Feeling this. Having this. Isn't wrong".

"Okay," Aria said short-winded, giving herself over to his kiss as his mouth crushed down on hers in the most sensible way as she opened her mouth up to massage her tongue with his, hearing as he groaned deep within his throat at her response. After what felt like minutes, she broke off their kiss. "We should eat".

"I agree," Ezra said against her soft mouth as he pulled away from her completely, going over to take the dinner rolls out of the oven.

He then balanced the bowl of mashed potatoes, and frying pan with the steaks along with the red bottle of wine and dinner rolls, before making his way over to the table. She followed closely behind him, but not before grabbing the bowl of salad, the vinaigrette dressing, and the two wine glasses, feeling slightly light-headed. After they had finished eating, they retired to his office as he played some of his old records on his record player he had gotten at an auction. They both sat comfortably on his couch as they sipped their red wine and listened to jazz and country music flowing out the loud speaker. She scooted closer over to him as he re-filled her glass with more red wine, and then he re-filled his own glass, before he placed the bottle back down on the floor. Everything felt perfect. Everything had turned out great. Dinner at been good. Sitting there so closely with him felt amazing. She never felt more soothing. She was staring at nothing in particular, when she happened to look over at him to find him watching her. She blushed, feeling a warmness start in between her thighs as she gifted him with a sexy smirk. Why was he staring? Why was he looking at her like that? She couldn't look away. He couldn't either. The air got thick with sexual tension. She couldn't breathe. She felt funny. Dizzy like she was getting ready to faint. His eyes were just so intense. Mesmerizing. Beautiful. When she couldn't take the weight of his eyes anymore, she looked off somewhere else. She felt her heart beating fast inside of her chest as she got herself under control. He finally broke the silence between them.

"Dinner was great," Ezra complimented her as he let his finger trace her bottom lip as it puckered up in response. She gasped, her eyes coming back to his. "You are a fantastic cook. I could really get use to your cooking".

"Thanks," Aria said as she wrapped her hand around his wrist, loving the feel of his finger caressing her bottom lip as her eyes glazed over with need. "And I don't mind cooking for you. I actually love it".

She pulled her face away to sip so more of her champagne, letting the wonderful flavors savory on her tongue.

"I want to go out with you again tomorrow," Ezra said as he professed his desire, before putting down his wine glass. "I love spending time with you. I like having you here. I like being here with you like this. I want more of these moments with you, Aria".

Aria saw the desire in his eyes. Heard the need in his voice. She found that she couldn't deny him.

"I want that too," Aria said hoarsely, putting down her own wine glass as her eyes held his in her gaze, before she fell silent.

"What do you want?" Ezra asked her, his voice so thick and rough and indescribable as he peered at her beautiful face closely, sensing that she wanted something from him. "What do you want from me?"

"I want you. I want to make love to you," Aria said boldly, getting up off the couch to unbutton and unzip and remove her skinny jeans along with her panties as she stepped out of both, before sitting back down beside him, turning her body fully towards his.

His eyes were darker than ever as he nodded his head mechanically, running a hand through his thick hair, and then he lifted off the couch to roll down his briefs and sweatpants, pulling her over onto his lap as her thighs straddled either side of him. He then positioned his hard cock at her wet hot center, then he took her mouth with his hungrily and plunged his cock upwards inside of her, and then she slid all the way down onto him at the same time. They both moaned, breathing hard. Erratically. They began to move together. First slow, but then faster. She started to circulate her hips on him as he thrusted up. Deep and hard. Thrust after thrust he went even deeper inside of her as she moaned against his mouth as her tongue wrestled with his playfully as she grabbed onto the back of the couch behind his head for support as his hands gripped her hips as he brought her down onto him repeatedly. He tore his mouth away from hers as he pumped up into her, kissing down her pale neck and her full breasts through her shirt, before his mouth found hers again. She felt herself climaxing much quicker as did he. She held him close as she felt his cum rushing up inside of her, moaning and groaning again as he came once more inside of her. They stayed glue like that for a few more seconds, breathing rather heavily until she got up from off of him.

Then she walked out of his office to his bedroom, knowing that he was following her as she discarded the reminder of her clothing. She climbed on top of his king sized bed, stretching lazily on it as she watched as he pulled his shirt over his head and tore off the rest of his clothes as he stalked towards her. He came down upon her, working his way down to open her thighs as he kissed her soaked pussy lips, then he kissed the top of her mound, before kissing his way up her body, stopping to play inside of her navel, and then he grasped both of breasts in his hands, his thumbs skating across the dark tips, before he sucked and licked them, kissing circles around her breasts, before sliding back up her body as he weaseled his way in between her creamy thighs. He pushed hard inside of her, feeling herself stretch around him as she arched up towards him. She was still wet with her cum and filled with his semen as she lifted herself up off the bed to meet his urgent thrusts. He pumped so hard and fast into her, swallowing her cries with his mouth as he pounded harshly into her. She could only scream as she pulled him down tighter onto her, wrapping her legs around his waist as her hands raked down his shoulders, chest, and taut stomach.

She bit her bottom lip hard as he pushed in and out of her again and again, drawing blood inside of her mouth as she thrusted her hips upwards, and then downwards again. Repeating the cycle. She felt her whole body shaking, desperately needing release. She kept moaning his name softly as he kept hitting every sensitive spot inside of her, pounding her into the soft bed. She squeezed her inner walls around him, hugging him tight as he slowed his thrusts down, getting ready to explode inside of her as he pulled all the way out, and then he thrusted back in. He then did it again, causing her to scream and her inner walls to constrict around him as she soared towards completion as so many orgasms seeped through her, feeling a slight tingling sensation go through her fingertips and toes as she called out his name brokenly, her throat feeling raw and sore. He pushed into her three more times, before she felt his cum pouring deep inside of her as his body collapsed on top of hers. As he steadied his breathing, he moved from off of her to lie down beside her. She moved closer to him, curling up into his side as she stared into his face. One of his arms was thrown across his eyes as his chest rose and fell.

"Do you want dessert?" Aria asked breathlessly, knowing that it was an odd question to ask him after what they had just done, but she was hungry all over again.

"Yeah," Ezra said laughing as he took his arm from off his eyes, leaning over to kiss her mouth leisurely, before pulling her up from the bed as they both got dress again.

Aria got down the tube of strawberry ice cream and took it over to the dining table, and then she headed back into the kitchen to get two small bowls, two spoons, and two forks for her and Ezra as he got the peach cobbler out of the oven, then he grabbed a knife, before going over to join her at the table.

"Do you like animals?" Aria randomly asked him as she scooped them both out great portions of strawberry ice cream, before she picked up her spoon to taste some, swinging her leg across his.

It felt so naturally. Not new or awkward at all.

"I like them just fine," Ezra said subtly, cutting them both a slice of pie, before picking up his fork to try it.

"Then why don't you have any?" Aria questioned him innocently, one of her beautifully arched brows rose as she licked her spoon, before she scooped up more of her ice cream.

"I just don't have the time or the patience. I stay busy," Ezra explained to her agilely, eating some of his own ice cream as his other hand stroked her leg resting in his lap.

She felt herself panting slightly from his caresses.

"Those are just quick thought-out excuses, Ezra," Aria said laughing as she shook her head at him. "And they are not really good ones".

"I know. I guess to me I find that taking care of a dog or a cat is too much responsibility when I'm not here as much," Ezra said as he used his finger to wipe the little ice cream she had left at the corner of her mouth. She gasped, tugging on her bottom lip with her teeth. "And I feel much comfortable taking care of a goldfish. There's not that much responsibility".

"What if you had help?" Aria suggested casually as she got up from the table to get the chocolate syrup and whipped cream she had seen in his top cupboard earlier, and then she sat back down beside him, her leg resuming its pervious place on his lap.

"Are you offering?" Ezra asked with an entertaining smile as looked over at her, taking another bite of his pie.

"I could be," Aria said teasingly, before biting on her bottom lip as she brought her foot up intentionally to massage his crotch with it, feeling as he grew hard under her ministrations.

He hissed, his eyes darkening as he groaned.

"I'll give it some thought," Ezra said harshly, his hand going down to stop her foot movements as another amusing smile lifted his mouth. "How about you? Do you like animals?"

"I love them," Aria said as matter of fact, pouring chocolate syrup over her ice cream. She got some on her fingers. She licked them, removing the chocolate. "I have a cat. Her name is Diana. She's black and gorgeous. She has the most beautiful big copper eyes I have ever seen. She was Adam's last gift to me. He nodded stilly, getting up to go get the red bottle of wine and their glasses. "Does it bother you when I bring his name up? If it does I won't. The last thing I want is to make you uneasy, or make you think that you have to compete with him".

She watched his beautiful face closely, her eyes feasting on the shape of his eyes, nose and mouth, and chin. He was so attractive. And he was hers. Was he hers? She was his. She never would have thought that her English teacher would one day be her lover. Would be the man she had fallen in love with.

"No," he said after a while, coming back over to sit back down beside her as he stared deeply into her eyes. "Aria, I knew that you loved Adam. You guys were in a meaningful relationship. It was serious between you two. There were no illusions about that. I don't expect you to erase the history you had with him. Just like I can't erase the history I had with Jamiee".

She sat down her spoon, before planting herself in his lap, her arms going around his neck as she gazed down into his blue eyes, her fingers coming up to stroke behind his ears. She was making a habit out of this. She couldn't help it though. She loved being on his lap. Loved being so very close to him. Loved having his arms around her. His fingers gripping her waist so tightly as though he was afraid that she might take off any minute. As though she might regret everything.

"I'm glad that it doesn't. That you can understand," Aria said softly, biting on her bottom lip again as her eyes dropped down towards his mouth, before she kissed him so gently and slowly.

It was like he couldn't help himself. He had to kiss her back as he molded his mouth to hers, his tongue finding solace with hers. She couldn't help gasping against his mouth. Couldn't help running her fingers though his hair. Couldn't help moving around as she fought to get closer still. Couldn't help feeling a crazy intense shock go through her body as he bit her bottom lip, sucking on the luscious flesh. Couldn't help moaning as he whispered her name like a prayer in between kisses. Over and over. The deep baritone of his voice making her so unbelievably wet and causing the throbbing ache between her things to maximize in strength. She wanted him.

"Stay here with me tonight," Ezra said hoarsely, pulling back from the kiss.

"Okay," Aria breathed against his lips as she nodded her head frenziedly.

There was no need for her to think about it.

"I want you," Ezra croaked with need against her silken mouth, which was swollen from his kisses as he got up with her in his arms.

She squeaked against his lips, laughing and kissing him as she wrapped her legs around him securely as he headed towards his bedroom.

**There you have it. I loved this chapter so much. I had a lot of fun writing it. To me, Aria has never been more real and clear. Did you love it? Review and let me know! I really hope that this chapter receives more reviews than my last one. And only two more chapters left in this wonderful story guys : (.**


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

**Ezra POV**

Spending the next couple of days with Aria had been nothing more than exceptional. He really didn't believe in fairytales, but that's how it felt when he was with Aria. Like he was living someone else's life. He never knew it could be like that. He still couldn't believe it. He never imagined that he and Aria could be this good together. More than good. He had hoped. He had never been happier. Looking more forward to his future. He had learned more about Aria, and she had learned some new things about him. She got him. More than just got him, they were connecting so much on a deeper level than before. They had never been more in tune into each other's emotions. He got her. He knew her moods. Her thoughts. Her convictions. He could read her so easily now from spending a lot with her. He was adapting to her more as a person he had fallen in love with. He loved that she was more open with him than she had ever been. The things that she said and did didn't surprise him anymore. She knew him better than he knew himself. She understood him more than any other woman he had ever been with. They had never been on a more equal footing. He knew her better than any other man she had ever been with. She had even said it one night without retracting it when he had mentioned Adam. She had said that it was different with Adam. That Adam had gotten a different side of her. That both he and Adam brought out different sides of her that only they could relate to.

She accepted the good and the bad with him. He did the same. They weren't perfect people. They were two humans prone to mess up occasionally. They had flaws. They both had made a lot of mistakes, and caused each other pain. They could either bring out the best in each other, or they could bring out the very worse in one another. No one could hurt him like Aria could and vice versa. They were each other matches. They really were more alike than they even knew. They had a lot in common. She knew each of his weaknesses and every one of his strengths, and he knew hers. They could argue so passionately, and then turn around and make love so intensely. She challenged him. And he her. It wasn't all rainbows and sunshine with them. It was more difficult and realistic than that.

She gave his life worth. She gave him an adventure everyday he was with her. A day was never boring with her. It was always exciting. Uplifting. He loved holding her in his arms. Loved waking up next to her. Loved talking with her endlessly. They never ran out of having something to talk about. He loved her cooking for him. Loved showering with her. Loved surprising her by doing the smallest things for her. Whether it be bringing her breakfast in bed, gifting her with simple treasures', or presenting her with a different flower every day and explaining its meaning. Loved her as she shared more of her childhood memories with him. Loved having her at his apartment. Loved the fact that he had given her, her own key. Loved going out in public with her. Loved how they sat around in his apartment cuddled up together as they watched old movies and listened to more of his old records.

Loved how they made love every night in his bed. Loved how he had picked up the habit of reading to her, her fingertips running across his lips to capture every word. He found that she loved that more than anything. He loved how she sang to him as he kissed his way up her body, running his hand through her long silky locks. Loved how he never grew tired of sleeping with her, and her with him. He shared all the poems he had ever written, and she had in return shared all the stories she had written that she wanted to get publish someday. Loved that she felt safe with him. Loved that she smiled and laughed so much now. Loved that he gave her that, and he loved that she gave the same joy to him. They didn't know what they were to one another. There was no definition. The subject never came up. She hadn't push for anything more. He hadn't push for anything more than she wasn't willing to give.

It just felt nice to be together. To spend some time enjoying each other's company. Their relationship didn't have a title. They never brought it up. They never discussed it. He didn't know why. He didn't know why they were avoiding it. Maybe they both were afraid of jinxing it. Afraid of ruining what they had right now. Afraid of complicating things. They never even talked about their future. What they both wanted out of it. They never talked about serious things like marriage, or children. He knew that they would have to talk about their untitled relationship rather sooner than later. He hadn't even told her that he loved her. He didn't know why he was holding back. Keeping quiet. Could it be that he was waiting on her to say it? To tell him she loved him?

Ezra turned his head left as he reclined on his back, his eyes falling on a sleeping Aria. She looked so beautiful as she slept on her stomach with her face turned towards him, the sheet pushed down exposing her flawless bare back. They both were unscrupulously naked underneath the sheets. Her long luxurious hair fell around her beautifully, obscuring her gorgeous face from him. She looked so peaceful. He couldn't bring himself to disturb her. She looked so relaxed. He scooted over closer to her, hearing the shallow puffs of air she released from her slightly opened mouth. What an enticing mouth is was. He couldn't tear his eyes from off her, allowing a light finger to trace an invisible path down her smooth back. She moaned sleepily, stirring just a little. But not enough to wake up. She snuggled over towards him, completely unaware of her actions.

He turned fully on his side towards her, propping himself up on his elbow as he allowed his roaming hand to get bolder, running down her luscious round bottom as she moaned and stirred again, before his hand ventured back up her ivory back, drawing small circles onto her back. He leaned down, letting his warm mouth replace his fingers as he kissed down her shoulders, before moving to kiss down her back, reveling in the flowery scent of her skin as she sighed. His tongue absorbing the taste of her skin as his tongue grazed along the contours of her beautiful crafted back. He licked and sucked on her flesh, hearing as she sucked in her breath, before releasing it slowly. He brushed her hair from off her neck to kiss the butterfly tattoo there without waking her up. She had told him when she had gotten it and what it stood for. There were no more secrets between them. He kissed his way down her back again, seeing as her hands unconsciously gripped the sheets.

He felt his cock growing hard; lengthen as his fingers followed his lips. She was breathing deeply now, soft moaning spilling from her silken lips. But she still didn't wake up. He wanted her to wake up. He needed her. He knew that she sensed his need. He allowed himself to achieve a full erection, before he gently flipped her over onto her back, easily waking her up. Her black finely detailed eyelashes fluttered upward. Dark lustful brown eyes met his needy blue ones. She smirked seductively, before biting her bottom lip. He bent his head to kiss that lip, groaning loudly as she coaxed him into a hot and heavy make out session, before pulling his lips away. His eyes stared into hers as he climbed on top of her, his large body covering her smaller one. She moaned out loud as her hard nipples rubbed against his hard chest as she let them brush back and forth, causing him to grit his teeth as he forced his way in between her thighs. She gyrated her pussy against the swollen head of his cock, wetting it with her cum, seeking him. She knew just how to manipulate his body.

Instead of giving her what they both wanted, he slid down her body to suckle on her erect nipples, biting them softly, before cupping both of her breasts in his hands, and then he moved back up. Her hands ran down his shoulders lovingly, his muscled back and tight butt, before wandering up to wrap her arms around his neck as she hooked her legs tightly around him, wiggling impatiently against him. She was so thirsty for him. He scoffed against her mouth, before crushing his lips down onto hers as he pushed himself into her heat, groaning as he pushed all the way in her tightness, hearing her sputtering screams as she grasped the back of his neck somewhat desperately. For a small second, he closed his eyes. He loved being inside of her. She always felt tight and really wet. Every time he was inside of her it felt like a new experience. His eyes opened back up as he started thrusting hard and deep into her, feeling as her inner walls clenched around him.

She thrusted her hips upwards, her body moving along with his as her eyes continued to hold his. She arched up as he moved slow and deep inside of her, rocking his body into hers as she moaned and bit the inside of her lip. Her hands swept down his back, stopping along the way to grip his waist, her fingers digging painfully into the skin, before scraping their way down. He pounded into her relentlessly, going deeper and deeper inside of her as she grew even louder than before. She was gasping. He was gasping, their voices grating as it reverberated off the walls. There was no need for them to be quiet. Who would hear them in his tiny apartment? The people outside? His neighbors? She circled her hips as her hands gripped his ass, feeling as he plunged in and out of her without stopping. He pulled out slightly, before thrusting back in as she groaned and lifted herself up a little to kiss his chest, then his straining shoulder blades and biceps, and then she fell back against the mattress, her eyes closing as she squeezed herself around him as he pounded into her faster.

He couldn't stop pumping in and out of her, but he felt himself gradually slowing down as he got ready to come inside of her. He felt himself shaking, pulsating. She moved her hands up his body to bring his face down to hers, thrusting her soft tongue into his gaping mouth as his tongue mashed with hers. He thrusted again and again, before spilling his semen deep inside of her as she yelled out his name, giving herself over to her orgasm. He rested his glistening forehead against hers, his hot breath fanning her mouth. He didn't move out of her. He remained inside of her, wanting to still savory the feel of being inside of her. She was breathing so hard as her fingers lightly stroked the side of his neck, shoulders, and back. Her body still riddled with aftershocks. She opened her eyes to stare into his as she smiled, before cupping his face in her hands as she kissed him possessively. He kissed her back hard, before pulling out of her and getting up off the bed to step into his pajama pants, then he leaned back down to touch his lips with hers, before he turned and left out the bedroom.

Ezra went into the kitchen to make Aria some breakfast, hearing as she got up from the bed to head inside the bathroom. A few seconds later, he heard the shower running. He cracked four eggs against the hot skillet, then he threw in half a stick of butter and dumped in his eggs, then he added salt and pepper and cheese, and then he whisked it all together, his own mouth salivating at the wonderful aroma that floated up to greet his nose. He then made buttered toast with a side of grape jelly, poured apple juice into a tall glass, and then he scraped the scrambled eggs onto a plate, before grabbing a breakfast tray to place everything on, and then he headed back into his bedroom. Aria was sitting cross legged on his bed, wearing one of his buttoned up shirts. She looked good in it. Her dark mass of hair fell down the middle of her back in wet tangles. Her face was scrub clean, making her appear even more angelic like. She couldn't look anymore lovelier than she already was.

"Here," Ezra said as he bent his head down to kiss her soft lips, placing the tray onto her lap.

"Thanks," Aria said softly against his lips as she kissed him back, before picking up her fork to tuck into her eggs.

"You're welcome," Ezra smiled as he collected up his toiletries, and then he walked over to the bathroom. "I'm going to take a shower".

She nodded her head; too busy eating her food as she bit into her piece of toast.

Ezra let the hot steam of the water cascade down his head and body, allowing it to completely relax him. It was a wonderful feeling, like a thousand hands caressing his entire body. His beautiful masculine mouth spurted out water that had gotten into his mouth, before he ran a hand down his face. The spray of the showerhead playing through his hair as his hands worked out the AXE shampoo. The seductive blend of coconut, hazelnut, and caramel assaulted his nose in a good way. His whole body was sensitive. Alert. Satiated. His hands skimmed down his neck, broad chest, and well-formed abdomen, feeling as a light buzzing sensation started. His hand traveled down more, reaching that hot and swollen part of him that got thick and longer as he stroked himself, letting out a little groan as his hands left his erect cock to feel down his back, his fingers tracing over his muscles, bones, and the marks that were left by Aria, before they moved down to his buttocks, and then they traveled back up just as he felt Aria's presence.

He turned and let the jet of water run down his back as he faced Aria, his body keeping hers from getting thoroughly wet. His eyes couldn't help gazing down at her dark turgid nipples. He got even more aroused, his hands reaching out to flick them. She moaned, a deep sultry sound emitting from her throat, before she bit her bottom lip. She kissed him, flattening herself to him as she plunged her velvety tongue inside of his mouth, exploring it religiously as his hands gripped her ample ass, kneading it gently as mewling sounds slipped from her full lips. She broke their kissing off to kiss the corners of his mouth, down his chin and neck, his muscled chest, her fingers trailing along worshippingly as she kissed down his beautifully formed abdomen, and then she fell down on her knees, using the back of her heels to keep herself up. He knew what she would do next. He couldn't stop her. Not when she wanted this as much as him. He was helpless. Held captive by her smoldering eyes, hands, and highly attractive mouth. She was like a drug he couldn't get enough of. It had been a while since he had last been inside of her mouth. His body teetered with anticipation. He prepared himself, grabbing a fist full of her long silky hair.

Her mouth was hot and demanding as she took him inside of her mouth. She took all of him. Every inch. He had never felt such pleasure. Felt so weak, his fingers gripping her hair tighter, fearing that he was hurting her. But, he couldn't release her. She gave no indication that she was in any kind of pain as her lips and tongue catered to him. He was so deep inside of her mouth; tortured groans spilling from his agape mouth as his back stiffened in an awkward angle. Her beautiful teeth bit, teased, and pulled him, causing him to bellow and slam one of his hands against the shower wall. His eyes rolled back in his head as she sucked on him deeper and harder, making sure he hit the back of her throat. All the slurping and popping sounds that she was making as she sucked his cock were unnerving and made him get more aroused and hard.

Her hands massaged and squeezed up and down his length as she continued sucking him, releasing a little bit of him to allow her tongue to lick around the engorged mushroom shaped tip, before kissing and licking down the shaft, and then she took him back into her mouth, moaning and making other sounds to get him excited. Over and over and over she had him hit the back of her throat, before she took him out of her mouth again. She kissed his ball sack, her fingers brushing and toying with them, before her mouth engulfed his cock once more. Loud growls emitted from him as he started thrusting his hips, making her take more of him. She complied unselfishly, tugging on him even harder as she compressed inner jaw muscles around him again and again, hearing as a whisper that sounded like her name poured from his mouth. Her head bobbed faster as he stopped his thrusting hips, groaning incoherently as he freed a load of his cum down her throat. She groaned as she swallowed his semen, sucking on the head of his cock to get more as his body sagged against the shower wall tiredly. He fought to re-gain his composure, vowing to repay her back.

Once he gained all of his composure and got his breathing under control, he dragged Aria up from her knees as her big doe like eyes mocked him. Oh yes, he was going to pay her back. He kissed her mouth burningly, tasting himself. His lips leaving hers to venture down to kiss her pale neck, her full breasts with its erected dark tips, his hands dragging down her slightly quivering stomach as the rough part of his tongue flicked each of her hard nipples, before moving down the gorgeous sculpture of her body. One of his hands moving back up to lightly palm her breasts as he dropped to his knees, roguishly pushing her back against the wall as he lifted her right leg over his shoulder. His hand left her breasts to grip her slim waist, keeping her in place as one her hands found its way into his hair and her other one braced against the wall behind her for support. He didn't mind the water beating down on the both of them, drenching them. He inhaled her wonderful scent as he aligned his mouth with her glistening pussy lips, smelling flowers, butterscotch, and black cherries. She smelled like sex.

She was writhing and moaning against him before he even delved his tongue inside of her scorching tight pussy. His mouth was on her in a matter of seconds, exploring every part of her inner cave as he licked, nibbled, and sucked on her enlarged clitoris. She cried out, her fingers in his hair tightening as she moaned and bit her bottom lip, pushing herself more into his mouth as her back arched. His skilled tongue swirled, twirled, and flicked up into her as drops of her cum trickled down his mouth and chin. He groaned, forcing his tongue further inside of her, thrusting it in and out of her. His technique was rushed. Sloppy. Uncontrolled. His hands moved from her ankles, to her legs and curvaceous thick thighs, to caress her sweet luscious round bottom. As he continued to thrust inside of her, she began to roll her hips expertly, pushing his tongue even deeper as her whole body quaked uncontrollably. Her little moans fell around them as her inner walls clamped around his rotating tongue. One of his hands left her ample bottom to head back up towards her nipples, pinching them in between his thumb and forefinger as she hissed ever so sweetly.

"Come for me, Aria," He commanded hoarsely against her pussy, smiling on the inside as her essence flowed into his mouth.

"Ezra…oh Ezra…mmm…" She croaked, giving herself over to another orgasm.

He kissed her in that still pulsating spot, then he removed her leg from over his shoulder, and then he stood back up. He kissed her smirking trembling lips, and then he kissed the side of her neck, his body squishing hers into the wall, before he turned both of their bodies towards the blasting showerhead, letting the water wash away the evidence of their oral love making. He then grabbed the bar of soap and started to wash her body as she did the same to him, their hands wandering and exploring. He turned the knob off when they were done cleaning each other's bodies, and then he stepped out of the shower, reaching back for Aria's hand to help her out. He took a big towel off the rack to towel dry Aria's body, Aria reaching for another one to dry him off. He kissed her leisurely, moaning softly against her mouth as their foreheads touched. She kissed him back, whispering his name, right before he picked her up and carried her back into his bedroom as her long creamy legs wrapped around him.

Ezra sat her back down on her feet, her body sliding down his so provocatively, wantonly. He tilted her chin up towards his face as he gazed down into her eyes, his mouth finding hers again, before he pulled away so that they both could get dress. She protested, her cute little mouth pouting as her eyes sparkled with anger. He barked with laugher, not yielding as she continued to look over at him sourly. He shook his head no, still laughing as she tossed her wet long hair over her shoulder dramatically and gave up and got dress. He threw on a t-shirt and sweatpants, as Aria's settled for a tank top without a bra and cutoff shorts. He then left out the room so that she could do her hair, opting to whip them up a quick meal that consisted of fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, and dinner rolls. When he had everything finished and out on the kitchen table, Aria emerged from his bedroom, looking fresh and bright as she smiled at him, coming up to wrap her arms around his waist, stepping on her tippy toes to kiss him, and then she moved away to sat down at the table. He went to go retrieve the lemonade and two glasses, before sitting down at the table beside her, and then they both started to eat.

"Are you done?" Ezra asked as he reached over for her empty plate.

"Yeah," Aria said as she watched as he stacked her plate on top of his.

He got up to head over to the kitchen to wash their dishes. She got up to follow him, putting up the leftover food as he rinsed off the dishes.

"Come here," He pulled her along by the hand over to the front room that was connected to the dining room when he got done with the dishes, dragging her down on the couch with him with her back to his chest and his arms going around her.

"What did you think when you first saw me?" Aria asked him quietly, measuring her hand with his.

"I thought that you were the most beautiful girl that I had ever seen," Ezra said as he kissed the top of her head.

"Be serious," Aria chastised him, nudging back against him.

He chuckled at her quick annoyance with him.

"I am. I couldn't take my eyes off of you," He spoke in a soft tone now. "Everything about you was just so beautiful. Your big brown eyes, your full luscious lips, your long luxurious hair, and that sultry voice of yours. God, such an enticing sound. I was so nervous that you'll notice me staring at you. I was so scared to even go by you. I was so afraid of what I might feel. Your smell was so intoxicating".

"What did I smell like?" Aria asked, intertwining her fingers with his, wanting him to confess everything.

"You smelled like flowers," He admitted embarrassingly, bending his head to kiss the top of her head again. "What did you think of me?"

"I couldn't see your face when you first came into the classroom," Aria said as pulled his arms tighter around her. "But, when you turned around from the blackboard, I thought, my god, he's the most attractive man that I had ever seen. I wanted you. It was like I had to have you. I was so determined. I didn't care that you were my teacher. That you were older than me. Those factors didn't matter once my mind was made up".

"You were so bold, brass and confident, and sexy," Ezra said with a laugh. "You scared the hell out of me. You made me nervous. You still do. I've never encounter a woman like you".

"I had to be," Aria said unashamedly. "You were something that I wanted. I had to make sure that you noticed me. Do you remember when I danced for you at the bar on the Hollis campus?"

"I wasn't able to forget it. I never felt such lust in all my life," Ezra gave another laugh. "Once again I couldn't take my eyes off of you as you stared into my eyes as you danced. You were a great dancer. The way that you moved your body so erotically. The gentle sway of your hips. How you moved your body in every direction as though you were so in tune with the music. How your beautiful dark hair fell over your eyes and shoulders. God, I couldn't move. I could have sworn that everyone in that bar felt the sexual heat between us. It took everything inside of me not to touch you".

"Why did you leave out?" Aria asked, before bringing his fingers up to her mouth to kiss them softly, brushing them back and forth against her lips.

"Because feeling the way that I felt towards you was wrong," He answered, releasing a breath of air as he sniffed the scent of her hair. "I was your teacher and you were my student. You were young. I was attracted to you. I couldn't fight it. I was so close to sleeping with you. I was aching to be inside of you. You were making me want you when I knew that I couldn't have you in that way. I couldn't trust myself to be around you any longer".

"Do you remember kissing me in that parking lot? I can't forget it. I had never been kissed like that," Aria said as she smiled in memory, leaning back into his chest more. "You kissed me like you were starving for the taste of me. You put every emotion that you were feeling in that kiss. I couldn't think. I felt weightless. I never wanted you to stop kissing me. To feel your body press up against mine. My hands didn't want to stop exploring the different parts of your body".

"I didn't want to frighten you," Ezra spoke softly, his voice thick and clear as his free hand came up to run through her long plush locks.

"But you didn't. You didn't frighten me," Aria argued. "How could I be scared of the man that I wanted so badly? Be frighten of the best kiss I had ever had? I wanted you to stop fighting me. I wanted to sleep with you that night. I wanted to have you inside of me. Why did you take me back to your apartment that same night? Was it because you wanted to sleep with me too?"

"Yes," Ezra said with shame, not sounding too proud about it. "I had drunk too much alcohol, but I couldn't blame it on that. That night was just spinning out of control fast. I had to put the brakes on what was happening between us quickly".

"Do you remember catching me naked on the bus to New York City?" Aria asked with laughter, her head going back to gauge his facial expression.

"I had no idea that you would be undressing," Ezra said with a soft smile on his lips as his fingers left her hair to trace her eyes, nose, and mouth. "Imagine my surprise at finding you like that. I've never seen such perfection on any woman. Every inch of your pale skin was unblemished. Your breasts were so beautiful, full, and ripe. You taunted me so cruelly. You wanted me to look at you. To touch you. I got so frustrated with you. I never meant to hurt you when I gripped both of your wrists".

"Do you remember the first time that we slept together?" Aria asked breathlessly, her eyes still fixed on his face.

"How could I forget," Ezra said as he stared down into her eyes with such intensity, the images of that night still in his head. "I gave you so many times to back out, but you didn't".

"I know, but I wanted you," Aria said with a silken voice as she turned slightly in his arms. "I wanted you to be my first. I never knew the real thing could be so wonderful. Could feel so good. Yeah I felt pain, but it was so worth it. I was so sore and bruised the next morning. You never told me, how did you know that I was a virgin?"

"It was a while back, but I was in the boys bathroom in school when I overhead Wes speaking about it with two of his friends," Ezra said as his thumb brushed across her bottom lip. "I couldn't believe it. I was so sure that you weren't innocent because of the way you had been coming on to me. I misjudged you. I'm sorry for that. I couldn't believe that you wanted me to take your virginity. To be your first. In deep down inside, I wanted to be the one. I wanted you to have a good experience. I didn't want it to be with some guy that would end up being selfish, careless, clumsy and rough, or inexperienced. I didn't want you to end up fearing sex. I knew that I could put your needs above my own, that I had experience, that I could be gentle with you and appreciate your body, and that I could make sure your first time was one to remember".

"And you gave me all of that, and more," Aria breathed against his lips, stretching up to crush her mouth against his, before laying her head back down on his rising chest. "Even though I was sore and hurting, I still wanted you again".

"Aria…" He didn't finish, shaking his head.

"What is it? What were you getting ready to say?" Aria asked as she lifted her head back up to stare into his face.

"You and me, we've been through a lot. We fought, argued, and hurt one another. Did you ever think that we would be at this moment right now?" Ezra asked her comfortably, loving how her body was displayed over his.

"No," Aria said with honesty after a moment of silence. "Did you?"

"No," Ezra said as his hand roamed her leg, thigh, and side, before heading up to her chest, neck, and face. "We were headed in two directions. I wanted you, but you didn't want me. You were with Adam".

"But all that has changed now," Aria sounded out of breath as his hands continued to roam over her body.

Every stroke ignited her senses. She loved having his hands on her, touching.

"What are we to one another, Aria?" Ezra finally asked her the long awaited question. "I like to think that what we have right now goes beyond sex".

"What do you want us to be to each other?" Aria asked, asking his question with another one as though she feared his rejection.

"That's not what I asked you," Ezra said with slight irritation in his voice, hating that she was avoiding his question. "I already know what I want us to be to one another; can you honestly say that you do?"

"Why are you pressuring me?" Aria asked angrily as she sat up and moved away from him, glaring over at him.

"I'm not," Ezra fired back just as angrily, pulling her resistant body back over towards his. "I just want you to be honest with yourself, and with me. How hard is that? I know everything I need to know about you Aria. You know me better than any other woman that I have ever been with. I want you. I want us to be in a relationship. I want you to be mines completely. I've told you that before. I wasn't lying then. I'm still being truthful. Why can't you offer me the same courtesy?"

"I'm sorry," Aria said as she pressed her forehead against his, her arms wrapping around his neck to hold him close to her. She pulled back just a fraction, gazing into his eyes with remorse. "I do want you. Every part. You are mine and no one else's".

"Yes, I am yours," He said as his eyes penetrated hers, then they fell down to her full mouth, then back up into her eyes, before he kissed her intensely on the lips, and then he laid back down on the couch again with her in his arms. "Does that mean that you want to be in a relationship with me?"

"Yes," Aria said without hesitating. "I was just afraid that you wouldn't want me like I want you".

"How could I not want you, Aria," Ezra asked as he kissed the softness of her hair. "You are all I ever think about".

"I can't stop thinking about you either. Even when you are with me. I can't stop touching you, kissing you," Aria admitted as she bit her bottom lip, running her fingers across his wide chest.

"Do you want to get married someday?" Ezra asked as his hand engulfed hers.

"I do," Aria said unquestionably. "How about you?"

"Of course," Ezra smiled against her head. "How about kids? Do you want those?"

"Yes," Aria smiled beautifully, her lips tickling his chest. "I can just imagine little me's running around. Do you want them?"

"Yeah," He laughed easily, feeling as she snuggled more closely into him.

"We want the same things," Aria compared.

"We do," Ezra agreed as he nodded his head, before he brought her chin up so that she was looking deep into his eyes. "I want those things with you, Aria. I want to marry you, to live in a big house together, and to have a family with you. And you want to know why? Because I'm in love with you".

"And I want to give you all of those things," Aria said softly, not able to tear her eyes away from his. "I want to be your wife, the woman that you make love to every night and every second of the day, and be the mother to your children. And you want to know why? Because I'm so in love with you, Ezra".

He was about to kiss her, when her cell phone went off, interrupting their moment of clarity. He didn't move his eyes away from hers and she didn't move hers away from him. They ignored it. Her cell phone rang again. She ignored. It rung once more. He ran a hand down his face, breaking their connection. He could see that she was obviously frustrated like him when her phone kept on ringing persistently. She cursed, pushing up from him to go answer it in his bedroom. He pulled himself up in a sitting position, running his hands through his hair as he waited for Aria to return. He was happy with the way things had progressed between him and Aria. Aria finally returned after ten minutes, looking as though she had been crying or on the verge of. Her face a solemn mask. The happy girl a while ago was gone. He didn't know what had caused a change in her behavior. He could only gather it had been whoever had called her. He reached for her and she came willingly as he pulled her down onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her. He felt a shudder go through her. He wrapped his arms tighter around her.

"What's wrong? Who was that on the phone?" Ezra asked with concern as he kissed the side of her neck and shoulder. "I don't like to see so withdrawn like this. You were just so happy a moment ago. What changed?"

"It was Benjamin Bailey on the phone. Adam's father," Aria said quietly, too quietly. "He called to tell me that they caught Adam's killer. Apparently, he couldn't live with the guilt anymore. He turned himself in. Whatever that means".

"And how do you feel?" Ezra asked her; happy that Adam's murderer was captured as he kissed Aria's shoulder again.

"Fine," Aria said as she shrugged her shoulders, her voice dull.

He turned her around in his arms so that she was looking into his eyes.

"Don't do that. Don't pretend with me. I get you, remember," Ezra said firmly. "I know that you feel something more. Something stronger. Talk to me".

"Okay. I feel happy, relived and free, and glad," Aria said as she broke down crying in his arms, tears coursing down her face. She clung to him desperately as all the tears of hurt, sadness, and anger fell. He rocked her, kissing and squeezing her tight. "I'm glad that he's going away for a very long time. Adam has justice now. I can breathe again. I don't have to feel sad anymore or be left wondering if his killer will ever be caught. I can completely move on with my life. I don't have to be scared anymore or feel all this anger inside of me. All the hate. I can let it go".

"Good. Now let it go completely," Ezra coaxed as his hungry mouth came down on hers, getting up as he walked with her to his bedroom. "Only feel me, this. I'll never leave you. I love you".

"I love you too," Aria said, half crying and moaning as she tore off his clothes as he tore hers off.

They fell on top of his bed naked, their bodies interlaced as they rolled around. Her silky long tresses spilt over the white pillowcases and rumpled up sheets as they continued to thrash around, writhing against one another as their mouths stayed fixed together. He never had seen anyone so beautiful, special. Never known someone that affected him like Aria could. Could cause such passion inside of him. Could make his body sing. He grabbed her knee and pulled it up, and then he thrust himself deep inside of her. Her back arched back against the mattress as she bit her bottom lip, before releasing a loud cry. He withdrew and then slammed back into her, the impact so sudden and intense. Over and over and over again he thrusted deep inside of her. It was incredible. Hurried. Raw. Frantic. He knew it was just what she wanted. Want she needed. He gave her every inch of him. Made her feel every deep amazing thrust. Their breaths mingled together as she cried and called out his name. His hands were everywhere, burning. On her ankle, sliding up to her thigh, running over her smooth neck, fondling with her breasts and tugging on her taut nipples. His mouth was hot and wet, his tongue bathing every sweet inch of her soft creamy skin. He gave one final last push inside of her body, pouring everything that he was into her as her inner walls constricted around him. They lay limp, their bodies covered in a lot of sweat, their mouths still working together, before he moved off of her, allowing her to breathe without his crushing weight on top of her.

**I loved writing this chapter so much. This chapter was definitely my favorite of all my other ones. How did you like it? Review! Always review. Only one chapter left, which is the Epilogue : (. I don't know when I'm going to have it up. It's going to take some time to write it. I'm still working out details in my head. I want this story to have the proper send off. I've enjoyed this story so much. Thank you guys for your continued support.**


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30**

**Epilogue**

**Ten years later…**

Aria hugged her bulging belly as she leaned against the doorframe of her daughter's bedroom, quietly observing Ezra with their five-year- old twins. A boy and girl. Ethan Cooper, and Harper Reese. Ethan was the spitting image of Ezra. He had the same soft dark hair, and the same beautiful blue eyes. He also inherited Ezra's knack for knowledge. Harper Reese was a mirror reflection of herself, except for having long beautiful golden blonde hair, and her father's eyes that were her shape and framed by thick pretty long black eyelashes.

She continued gazing in at the trio cuddled together on the floor as Ezra read them a bedtime story. It was a routine of theirs. She couldn't help the wide smile stretching across her full lips as each child competed for their father's attention and a spot on his lap. She smiled one last time, before pushing off from the door and heading back towards her and Ezra's bedroom. She was truly happy. She loved her life. Loved her children, and she loved Ezra. She had everything that she could ever ask for. They had their big house. She was content. Loved. Safe. Ezra was a great husband, a great father. Their children adored him. He always had time for them. He gave them each all the attention they needed. He gave them anything they wanted if it was in reason. He spoiled them both rottenly, but she never complained. She had a habit of spoiling them too. They were wonderful kids.

He was also a great provider. She and the kids didn't have to want for anything. They were surrounded by family and friends. She had accomplished everything she had wanted just like the fortune teller from New Orleans had said. It seemed like so long ago now. She still couldn't believe how great her life had turned out. So much time had passed, but she had enjoyed every minute of it. She wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. It was still a dream coming true. She had her husband, her kids were happy and healthy, she had her house, and she had her dream job. She was a high school English teacher at Rosewood high. Ezra had even achieved his own goals. He was still an English professor at the Hollis College. She got ready for bed, feeling as her and Ezra's third child kicked inside of her stomach, making its presence known.

"Time for bed my little off-springs," Ezra announced joyously as he picked himself off the floor and set down the storybook he was reading on his daughter's little table, before scooping up each one of his children in the crook of his arms as he spun them around. They laughed and shrieked. "You first my beautiful little grasshopper".

He deposited his daughter onto her bed, tucking her in as he kept a firm grip on the squiggly little boy in his other arm.

"Night, baby," He said as he kissed his little girl's precious little nose.

"Night, daddy," She yawned cutely as she wrapped her little arms around his neck, hugging him tightly, before releasing him as her big beautiful doe like eyes that reminded him so much of her mother's fluttered closed.

He stood back and straightened up, watching his daughter sleep. She was just too cute, her little chest rising and falling. He couldn't believe that Aria and him had created something so beautiful. She looked so much like Aria. He felt his heart swell with proud as he bent down again to kiss her forehead and run his fingers through her silky long hair, feeling as the golden blonde hair that resembled spun gold coiled around his fingers. He smiled as her little mouth popped open, small puffs of air escaping. He couldn't help kissing her forehead again, feeling so much love for her coursing through his veins. She was a part of him, of Aria. Her and her brother were his greatest accomplishments. He loved them so much.

He vowed to always keep them safe and happy. To protect them. There was nothing he wouldn't do for them. He would give his own life to save theirs. They completed him. Being their father was the greatest gift Aria had ever given him. He loved being a father, theirs. It had its highs and lows. It wasn't a cake walk in the park by any definition, but it fulfilled him. He loved being able to support them as well as Aria. He loved having them depend on him. Loved spending quality time with them. Both equally and separately. He loved being able to help them with their homework. Loved their hugs and kisses as they rushed to greet him at the front door when he got home from a long day at work. He loved eating dinner with them and having a family night filled with movies and popcorn. He would always be there for them when and if they needed him. He would never turn his back on them, Aria, or his responsibility. They were his family. He loved them. He made sure that neither they nor Aria ever have to want for anything. Both he and Aria provided well for them, for themselves. He loved having a family of his own, something that solely belonged to him.

Ezra pulled himself from his reverie, soon remembering the restless little boy in his arms. His son. Ethan reminded him so much of himself every day. He was so smart and knowledgeable. He laughed as his son continued to struggle in his arms, wanting to get down. He had a lot of patience when it came to the both of his kids. He never lost his temper with them. He still could be quite strict if they misbehaved, but they almost never did.

"Time to get tucked into your own bed, sport," Ezra told his son softly as he moved him from his arms to place him on top of his shoulders.

Ethan loved it. He got a kick out of riding on top of Ezra's shoulders. He giggled and screamed as Ezra expanded his arms out on either side of himself so that he demonstrated a plane, making motions and airplane noises as he left out of his daughter's bedroom to walk across the hallway to Ethan's room, making sure to flip off the light and close the door slightly behind him. He slammed his snickering son down onto his bed playfully, before pulling back the huge comforter so that he could crawl beneath the sheets.

"Goodnight, son," Ezra said as he kissed the top of his son's head, ruffling up the dark hair that looked so much like his own.

He was just as beautiful as his twin sister. Him and Aria really did make beautiful and prefect children. Sometimes he still couldn't believe that he was a dad. He still couldn't believe that they were expecting their third child. He never wanted to stop making children with Aria. She was his everything, the love of his life. His wife, and the mother to his children.

"Goodnight, dad," Ethan said sleepily as he turned over onto his side, pulling the covers all the way up to his chin.

He smiled down affectionately at his son, kissing his head again, then he headed over to the door to cut off the lights, and then he left out of his bedroom, before closing the door behind him just a little.

He then headed downstairs, checking and making sure that all the doors and windows were locked and the security alarm was on, and then he went into the kitchen to wash any left over dinner dishes, before making his way back upstairs. He checked on both Harper Reese and Ethan again, before heading towards the nursery that was closest to his and Aria's room. He walked inside, gazing around the whole room. It was already made up with everything the new baby would need. A crib with a mobile, changing table and swing, a rocking chair for Aria, diapers and wipes, clothes, a number of stuffed animals and baby rattles and squeaky toys, and bottles. It wouldn't be long now. Aria was already eight months along. They didn't know if they were having another boy, or another girl. They didn't want know. They wanted it to be a surprise. That was why the room walls were painted in a pale yellow.

He couldn't believe that he and Aria were really parents. That they had everything they had talked about. That they were having their third child together. He didn't care if it was a girl, or a boy. But, secretly, he wanted another girl. He wanted another little Aria like his pretty grasshopper. He loved that little girl so much. She was daddy's little girl. She thought he was bigger than life, like he was her everything. When she looked at him, it was like he could never do any wrong in her eyes. Like he was just her hero alone. He never wanted to lose their special father and daughter relationship. He never wanted to disappoint her. He was dreading the day she would grow up and have another special guy in her life, but for now, he was the only guy she would need. He was fiercely protective when it came to his children.

Ezra left out the beautifully decorated nursery, walking to his bedroom that he shared with Aria. She was his wife. Not only in name, but in every way. He was never happier at how his life had turned out. He had everything he needed. He paused in the doorway, his blue eyes gazing upon a lounging Aria, who was dressed sexily in one of her many short silk gowns as she leaned back against the headboard of the king sized bed. His breath hitched, his eyes darkening as she leafed through a book filled with different baby names that rested on her beautiful bulging belly. She still looked the same as she had done when he had first seen her sitting in his classroom all those years ago. She was still gorgeous. It hurt his eyes to look at her. She was just older now. She was 26-years-old. He felt older. He knew he might look it. He was 34-years-old now, but he still thought he looked the same as he had done when she had first met him.

She looked up from the book of names, smiling seductively up at him as he went to go join her on their bed, pulling off his shirt in the process. He nestled up against her side, his hands coming up to rub her pregnant belly, feeling as he felt his son or daughter kicking inside of her. It was a wonderful feeling, knowing that another human life was growing inside of her. Aria was a great mother to their children. The kids worshiped her, especially Ethan Cooper. He thought his mother was the most important thing in the world. He knew that Ethan would look for girls that would have some of Aria's qualities' when he got older. He planted kisses all over her stomach through the silk gown, hearing as she was moaning softly, running one of hands through his hair, her long nails scratching his scalp.

"So, my love, did you find a name yet?" Ezra asked, before planting more kisses onto her round stomach. "I'm sure you're bound to find something in there that's suitable. I have complete faith in you".

"Not quite yet," Aria said as she sucked in a sharp breath as the baby inside of her gave a great big kick. She exhaled slowly just like she had learned. Ezra felt it as he smiled up at her. "You'll think I'll be used to that by now. Are the kids tucked in?"

"It would really help if we knew what we were having," Ezra said as he felt his son or daughter give another big kick. "And they are. It didn't take that much coaxing if you can believe it or not".

"What do you want the baby to be?" Aria asked him as she placed the book of baby names beside her on the bed, her other hand coming up to comb through his hair, before she kissed the top of his head. "And I do believe it. You wore our children out. Which, I'm sure they didn't mind too much. They love you as do I".

"And I love them and you, but I don't care if we have another boy, or another girl. As long as he or she is born healthy," Ezra said, meaning it as his lips found hers, loving as she moaned against his mouth as hers moved with his.

"I think you really want another girl," Aria said breathlessly against his lips as she broke off their kiss, willing him to contradict her as her lips quirked up into a knowing smirk. " I see how you look at Harper Reese. I see how much you love her. Yes, I know that you love Ethan Cooper very much too, but you and Harper have a special bond".

"How did you-"He didn't finish his sentence, looking at his wife in awe.

"I know you, remember," Aria smiled, before biting his bottom lip teasingly, and then she kissed him again, loving the deep rumble in his throat as she deepened their kiss.

"You do," Ezra said in full agreement in between kisses, pulling her onto his lap so that her soft pale thighs where on either side of him. He released a tortured groan as she sat more deeply on his hardening erection. She started to move against him, swirling and twirling her hips. It felt so good. He felt the hot heat emanating from her. She was so good at manipulating his body to her will. He felt as his cock got thicker, more swollen. It was good to know that their sexual appetites' didn't diminish after the twins. They were even more sexually active than before. Hints, their third child. He hissed, feeling as all the blood rushed to his ears as his hands gripped her waist. He found his eyes dropping down to her full sized breasts as he pulled back. They were even bigger and rounder now that she was pregnant again. He wondered if she was going to be breastfeeding again. She had done so with the twins. He had found the act so beautiful and arousing. He held her long luscious dark hair back from her face as he gazed back up again into her lovely face, seeing as her big doe like eyes sparkled with love and happiness. He traced her beautiful jawline with his lips, then he kissed her neck, and then he kissed the swells of her breasts, inhaling that familiar scent of flowers. "Just like I know you".

She smiled softly as she bit her bottom lip, before pressing her lips against his harder ones, and then she pulled her face away.

"I have a surprise for you," Aria said as she gifted him with another an enticing smile, and then she reached over towards the little nightstand beside their bed as she rummaged through it, before retrieving a pair of pink booties as she held it up to his face.

Her smile this time was bigger and wider as he comprehended what she was trying to tell him. He couldn't believe it. He was so happy. He expressed it by kissing her lips softly and hugging her tight but being extra careful because of the baby. He had gotten his wish. So much emotion washed over him. He feared he might cry. Aria seemed to understand the whirlwind of emotions inside of him as she kissed the top of his head, then his forehead and both of his eyes, then his nose, and then lastly his mouth. She lingered there, forcing his lips apart to thrust her tongue inside to taste the inside of his mouth. He met her tongue with his. She kissed him sensuously, her breath ragged before she pulled away. Her own eyes were swimming with emotion.

"So, we're having a girl?" Ezra asked thickly, wanting to be sure he had it right. "Is that what you're trying to tell me?"

"Yes," Aria said as she nodded her head, her eyes spilling over with tears as she bit her bottom lip again. "This is my gift to you".

Without saying anything, he kissed those succulent lips of hers, tears falling form his own eyes. He was going to have another beautiful little girl. He found himself wondering about whom she would look like. Would she look like him? Would she look like Aria? Or would she look like the both of them? He pictured his second little girl with Aria's hair and eyes. He wondered if she too would be a daddy's girl. He pictured Aria singing lullabies to her as she had done so with Harper Reese and Ethan. Somehow he finally found his voice,

"When did you find out? Is she okay? Is everything all right? I thought we said we didn't want to know," Ezra said in a hushed voice, firing so many questions her way.

He couldn't help it. He was beyond happy. She laughed through her tears, taking his hands to place on top of her belly as hers covered them.

"I only found out this afternoon when I went to visit my doctor," Aria choked out as she tried to answer all of his answers. "She's fine. Everything is all right. There's nothing wrong. She'll be arriving right on schedule. We don't need to worry about anything. And I know that we said that we wouldn't, but I couldn't help myself. I knew how much you wanted another little girl".

"I love you so much, do you know that?" Ezra said against her lips, kissing her slowly, before thrusting his tongue back into her mouth.

She groaned into his mouth.

"I do. I love you too," Aria answered as she kissed him back, before wincing and pulling away as their daughter kicked again. "She's so active. This can only mean she's going to be a hand full".

"But we'll manage together," Ezra assured her, stroking her belly in the softest of touches with his fingers as she shivered. "I think we have done pretty well with her older brother and sister so far. You still can't think of a name now that we know the sex of the baby?"

She gave it some thought, before answering him.

"How do you like Amber Rose Fitz?" Aria asked as she chewed on her bottom lip nervously, hoping that he'll love it. "I couldn't decide between Amber and Rose, so I just combined them together. If you don't like it we could always go through the book again".

He shook his head no.

"I'm in love with it already," Ezra said genuinely, before his eyes grew serious. "Are you really happy, Aria?"

"I am. I love the life that we made together and will continue to make together," Aria said with an honest smile, leaning forward to kiss down the side of his neck. "Are you, Ezra?"

"You really don't have to ask," Ezra said with an answering smile that matched hers as one of his hands came up and cupped the back of her neck. "Aria, you make me happy. The kids make me happy. I love you, our life together".

And he proved it by switching their positions so that she was now lying under him. The position was already awkward enough because of her bulging belly in the way, but he wasn't about to let that stop him. He used one of his elbows to keep her from feeling all of his weight. He didn't want to squish the baby. His dark wanting blue eyes stared down into hers as his hand inched up her satiny gown to her expanding waist, instantly knowing she wasn't wearing any panties. His mouth came down hard on hers, feeling as her arms encircled his neck as he positioned himself between her silken thighs. He made her feel how hard he was, how big. He started to thrust his hips, pressing himself more fully against her as gasping moans fumbled from out of her mouth as she gripped his neck tighter. He kissed down her chin and neck, his fingers caressing her swollen breasts and hard nipples through the thin layer of her negligee.

He wanted to suck her nipples and he did just that, sucking and pulling and licking at her through the silk material as her harsh cries filled his ears. He pulled away, leaving behind two big wet stains that were caused by his saliva and her produced milk. She moaned, thrusting herself up against his huge erection. He cried out, breathing hard against her mouth, before plunging two of his fingers into her warmth to see if she was ready for him. She was. She screamed at the sudden invasion inside of her body. She was hot, wet. Still so tight after having the twins. He wiggled his fingers, plunging further. She let out a throaty groan, her body trembling as she bucked against his two fingers. Perspiration broke out on his forehead as he removed his fingers, reaching a hand to pull down his pajama pants.

He couldn't wait. God help him, but he couldn't. He pushed his cock deep inside of her, hearing as she gasped and locked her ankles behind his waist as he began to thrust in and out of her. His thrusts were slow and deep as she moved her hips upwards in time to meet him thrust for thrust. Her scorching heat was undoing him. He didn't hold back, letting her have every inch of him. He knew that she could handle it as he went even further. She moaned coarsely, expressing her pleasure. Her nails were like fire as they pierced through the skin on his neck, shoulders, and back. He faintly felt the trickling of blood as he gritted his teeth as her fingers continued to claw at him.

She was moaning brokenly as he pushed in and out of her, pounding ever so deeply. Her inner walls clenched around him, pulling him in more. He pulled out, then he pushed back in, and then he pulled out again, before slamming back inside of her harder and faster and deeper. He grunted as he got ready to come. He pushed and pushed and pushed into her, until her resolve broke and she climaxed so powerfully around him. She bit down on her bottom lip to suppress her screams as orgasm after orgasm rippled through her convulsing form. He thrusted once, then twice, before spilling his semen inside of her as he groaned out her name.

Ezra gave himself time to catch his breath, then he pulled out of her and pulled up his pajama pants, and then he rolled off of her, pulling her body close to his side as he propped himself on his elbow so that he could gaze into her glazed over eyes. She was so beautiful, and she was his. She turned to face him after she got her breathing under control, relaxing on her elbow as she gathered her mass of luxurious hair to the right side of her face as it tumbled down her shoulder and onto the bed. He couldn't look away from her glittering eyes. Her beautiful face was flushed, her normally pale cheeks sporting a rosy tint. She really was the most gorgeous woman he had ever seen. He allowed his eyes to run over her appraisingly, before looking back into her face. She was even more stunningly beautiful when she was pregnant. Being pregnant suited her.

"I want to have another baby after Amber Rose," Ezra said hoarsely as he used the pad of his thumb to brush across her plump bottom lip.

"Okay," Aria said quietly, finally able to speak as she pulled his face over towards hers to kiss him. "I want to give you as many babies as I possibly can".

**The End**

**This really has been a journey you guys and I would like to thank you all for you continued support since the beginning. Thanks for sticking with me and this story. I know it wasn't easy, but everything turned out for the best. You guys are the reason why this story is such a success. You made me write and want to finish it up. I'm very proud of this ending. I loved writing it. I really didn't want this story to end, but I felt it was for the best. And don't forget to review! Always review. You never know, there could be a sequel sometime in the future ;).**


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